Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

There's No Place Like Oz

1982; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 10; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/chl.0.0509

1543-3374

Margaret Hamilton,

Media, Gender, and Advertising

There's No Place Like Oz Margaret Hamilton (bio) I walked quickly along Fifth Avenue and Central Park. Suddenly, I heard at my back, "Excuse me, Miss Hamilton? You are—yes, you are—gosh! I'm sorry to interrupt your walk; but I've always hoped for this! I'm a great fan of yours—could I ask you a few questions about The Wizard of Oz?" "Yes, but kindly ask them as quickly as possible," I answered. "I have a dentist appointment." "Oh, yes! Thank you! You don't know—" "Yes, I do," I thought; "I have heard this before." "I'm so excited I could die!" "Please don't." "No, I won't. Don't worry," he said, "but I'm so excited I've forgotten all the things I wanted to ask." "Well, calm yourself. I will not melt. Let's sit here on this bench." "Let's see," he began, "I know—did any of you—did you think when you made—" "No—we never did," I answered, "at least, I didn't . . ." And it is true. I didn't consider, or at least I didn't realize at the time, how popular The Wizard of Oz would be. The picture has touched thousands of people. People are forever stopping me on the street, making me late for dentist appointments, to ask about the picture. That afternoon at home, I decided that, while I really did not have all the time I felt I needed to think things through, I must get a hold on the answer to that question which had plagued and fascinated me for years: What is it that makes that picture so special, what is it that captures our attention, our imagination, that appeals to us, that makes us want to share it with others? The picture resembles Christmas. We want to share it. And now, thanks to our somewhat bedeviled TV, we can see it at home with people we love and who love us. [End Page 153] The word home comes to mind. The picture gives us a warm and lovely feeling and yet an anxiety, and it raises a question. Who among that odd crew in Oz triggers this? Go back to the very beginning. There is a little girl, Dorothy, who is late coming home because she feels trouble is following her. She is full of her trouble and needs to share it and feel safe. But Uncle Henry and Auntie Em have their own trouble—barnyard trouble. Dorothy is suddenly in the way. She is told to find a place where she won't get in the way. Her beautiful eyes cloud. She thinks she is not wanted. The hurt is unexpected. Where, she wonders, can she go? A lovely song soothes and answers her: over the rainbow. She packs her basket and goes away with Toto, her faithful dog. We watch a marvelous encounter with a traveling magician, with a magic heart. He deftly turns her toward home. He or a tornado carries her far afield—"over the rainbow" to a new land. Now she is not at home in Kansas and she wants to return but does not know how. No one in Munchkinland can tell her how to get home. We go with her and share the "crowd" of three she invites to go with her. All four travelers have pressing needs which only the Wonderful Wizard of Oz can help. Now, not the good fairy, not the little people, not the companions, not the forest, not the Wicked Witch of the West, not the Emerald City, not anything else occupies Dorothy's mind and heart but only how to get home. We watch her through all the dangers and disappointments, and we wholeheartedly sympathize with her. The sunshine in her eyes, her smile, her faith, her wonder, the heart-breaking moments of despair touch our own feelings and our spirits rise and fall with Dorothy as she struggles to reach home. In the final moments, which we know so well, when Dorothy is so near to going home, the Wizard leaves without her. But happily the Good Fairy appears. "Just close your eyes...