The morality of ‘The Wizard of Oz’

In all the joy and childlike wonder that embraces "The Wizard of Oz," there is one part of the movie that always leaves me feeling uneasy. No, it’s not the flying monkeys — after all, who in their right mind wouldn’t want an army of flying monkeys? The ones in the movie were just misled, that’s all. Why, if they were my flying monkeys, I’d train them to do good deeds, like carrying old women over busy intersections, trimming my hedges, and explaining the decisions of our government.

The scenes I’m referring to occur when the four friends finally reach the Emerald City, only to have the doorman try to turn them away ("Ooooh! The Wizard? But nobody can see the Great Oz!").

When they finally enter into the Emerald City and make clear their requests, the "beneficent Oz" tells them he will grant their wishes, but with one small stipulation: "…You must prove yourselves worthy by performing a very small task. Bring me the broomstick of the Witch of the West."

If I were Dorothy, I would have said, "You know what? Munchkinland really isn’t that bad! I could join the Lollypop Guild, maybe go out for the basketball team. And what with all the tornadoes back home, well, I think I’ll just hang out with the Munchkins for a while. Good luck with the witch and all!"

In other words, the four undertake a long and often dangerous journey to the Emerald City in hopes of having their dreams realized, only to be turned away because they’re not worthy. It kind of makes you think. Then it kind of makes you hungry. And later it makes you think again because it’s always easier to think on a full stomach.

The anxiety I’ve always felt during those scenes at the Emerald City reflects my fear that after this often-difficult journey through life, I may or may not be worthy of heaven.

From childhood, we are taught to stay on the right path, one that, unfortunately, isn’t nearly as plain as the Yellow Brick Road. Ours is a spiritual path, one on which we must work hard to keep focused.

Like our four friends, we also have the occasional grove of angry trees attacking us with apples, only we call them "supervisors" (just kidding) and "relatives" (still kidding). We too have evil witches biting at our heels, only we call them "Temptations," not to be confused with "Gladys Knight and the Pips." And we too carry small dogs in picnic baskets, but wrapped in buns with mustard and relish.

Along the journey we most certainly will make stupid decisions ("That’s the trouble. … I haven’t got a brain — only straw"); we’ll sometimes lack kindness and compassion ("The tinsmith forgot to give me a heart"); or the courage to follow the right path, ("I haven’t any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes"). But despite all those weaknesses, we never stop searching for the acceptance and understanding of Christ’s love, wherein we find healing, and acceptance of self — our own Yellow Brick Road.

One of the greatest scenes in the movie occurs when the four peer over the rocky cliff at the witch’s guards as they march into the castle, and must decide once and for all if they will put their lives at risk to be worthy of "Oz." At that point, I’d be wishing I had the bravery of the Tin Man, but I’d have "Cowardly Lion" written all over me.

Despite the dangers, with the support of his friends and the strength of his own convictions, the Cowardly Lion takes on the witch and wins.

Finally comes the presentation of the broomstick to the Wizard of Oz, who bids them, "Come back tomorrow." And Dorothy, in a mood because she hasn’t showered in several days, discovers that the wizard is, in fact, a fellow Kansan, who, in his wise Kansas way, reminds them that the gifts they seek were there all along. All they needed was the occasion to reveal them.

It was the journey itself along the Yellow Brick Road that empowered them, just as we are empowered and guided by the Word of Christ.

As for Dorothy, she is granted her request to return home to family friends, who must indeed be treasures of inestimable worth. After all, why else would she happily go from Technicolor to black and white?