WIZARD OF OZ
The story of “Wizard of Oz” contains more than few ironies. The story has four protagonists and two antagonists. Protagonists are the Dorothy (the main character), the Scarecrow (friend), Tin Woodman (friend), Lion (friend). Moreover, the antagonists are Wicked Witch from the west.
Firstly, Dorothy is the first and the last character we see, she is the main character in this story. She is a sprightly girl, she lives with her aunt and uncle on the Kansas prairie. she has an energetic personality and she loves her dog, Toto. Dorothy is sweet and simple and represents traditional and idealistic moral values. Throughout her journey, her main goal was to return her home despite the wonders and magic of Oz. Which brings us to the irony about Dorothy. Dorothy goes to a wizard to help her go home and she discovers that she had the ability to do that the whole time.
Secondly, The Scarecrow, recused by Dorothy from his dull life in a farmer field. the Scarecrow’s greatest wish is to the producer of brains for himself from the Wizard Of Oz. In reality, Scarecrow is exceedingly intelligent and resourceful. At the end of the novel, he becomes the ruler of Emerald City in the Wizard absence. Additionally, the scarecrow wants intelligence and discovers that he is a genius and this is an example of an irony.
Thirdly, The Tin Woodman, he also rescued by Dorothy after rusting in the forest, the Tin Woodman desires a heart from the Wizard of Oz. He used to be a real man and was in love with a Munchkin girl, but due to the Wicked Witch of the East’s evil conspiracy, he lost his limbs and eventually became a man of tin without a heart. Despite his beliefs about the lack of emotions, he proves himself a kind and sensitive gentleman. At the end of the novel, he is given a task of ruling over the Winkies. Of course, we need to consider his ironies in this novel which are, Tin Man is searching for a heart only to discover he already has one.
Furthermore, the Lion. The last member who joined the group. We know him as a coward Lion because he is scared of everything and he is not brave at all. He claims also accepted being a coward, however, he wishes for the Wizard of Oz to give him courage. However, he proves himself courageous in many situations throughout the novel. Similarly, another irony is the lion who seems to be a coward, turns out to be very courageous.
These ironies were considered as situational irony because of most of the readers would expect that the story ends with Wizard helping them. However, it ends unexpectedly with the wizard showing each of them that they already had what they wanted all along.
Eventually, the antagonists, in this story we have on antagonists, the Wicked Witch of the East. She is the main antagonist in this story. She has a very evil and brutal personality. In the journey, she did everything kill or harm Dorothy and her friends. However, she died when Dorothy’s house landed on her after the cyclone dropped it in the land of Oz, she wreaked havoc on the Munchkins for years by enslaving them. After her death, Dorothy takes the magic silver slippers form her feet which helped her to go back to her own world/home.
