Upon reading the first eight chapters of The Wizard of Oz, I was immediately struck by the extent of situational irony in the novel. Dorothy, who embarks upon her journey to return home, has had the ability to return home all along. The Scarecrow, who craves knowledge and brains, is the tactical mastermind of the group. The Tin Man, who desires a heart, is the greatest empath of the group, crying over dead insects and the thought of the Lion hunting his meal. The Lion, who dreams of bravery, is the warrior of the group, is willing to defend his new-found friends from fearsome bear-tiger hybrids and leap across giant chasms in the ground. Given that the irony surrounding the circumstances of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are so apparent and obvious, is the reader also supposed to infer that Dorothy’s situation also does not require that the journey be made? Like we discussed for Through the Looking Glass, the irony of the novel could be to appeal more to the adults also reading the story.
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I also noticed the use of irony throughout the work– I think that this might be the reason why the works appeals to young audiences and older audiences alike. This irony is something that most children won’t pick up on, which is why this story functions on two levels, as we mentioned in class: a fairy tale, but also a political allegory. In this sense, the text truly is a work for the”people,” as it appeals to all, young and old. I also think that the appeal of both Through the Looking Glass and The Wizard of Oz stems from the prospect of escape. Readers might be thinking, if Alice can escape to Wonderland, and if Dorothy can escape Kansas (temporarily, of course), then why can’t I? Escape is desired by all, young and old, which is why the readership of these two works is so widespread. I think that the situational irony in terms of the characters also contributes to the readership of this book, as they all exhibit that what we might want (courage, a heart, etc) is already part of us– we just need to unleash it.