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oz. Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Frank Baum’s children’s book as an allegory for the Populist movement of the late 1800s.

The Yellow Brick Road

Represents the

Gold Standard

—basing the nation’s currency value upon the global value of

gold

The Silver Shoes (not red)

Represent

“Free Silver”

—movement to allow the nation’s

currency value to be based upon value of silver in addition

to gold

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Dorothy

Represents

“Miss Everyman”

—the typical honest, kindhearted,

levelheaded, and determined

American citizen

The Scarecrow

Represents the

Agricultural Worker

—thought of as uneducated but proves to be the most clever and resourceful in the

group

The Tin Man

Represents the

Industrial Worker

—example of the dehumanization

which resulted from factory work

The Cowardly Lion

Represents

William Jennings Bryan

—grand speaking politician with no

real political power; ran for President

four times

Toto

Represents

Prohibitionists

—smaller ally of the Populist movement;

“teetotalers”

The Emerald City

Represents

Washington, DC

—the place which is supposed to have the answers, but often does not

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The Collective Group

RepresentsCoxey’s Army

—small group which marched toward Washington, DC with the goal of gaining policy

change

The Wicked Witches

“East” Represents the Bankers and

Industry Giants—“killed” by a farm

house

“West” Represents the difficult

environment of the Great Plains—

“killed” by water

The Munchkins

Represent the

“Little People”

—poor workers enslaved by

bankers/industry

The Winged Monkeys

Represent

American Indians

—enslaved by the conditions of the Great Plains and

act out of desperation

GlendaThe Good Witches from North & South

Represents the Populist Party’s Strong Holds

—most support came from agrarian

South & Midwest (north of Kansas)

The Wizard

Represents the

“Power” in Washington

—President McKinley was often thought of as a figure head with Marcus Hannah

being the real power

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