Film Analysis: Wizard of Oz

In this project we had to analyse the "Wizard of Oz" for is use of scale, paradox, metaphor and convergent/divergent thinking.

Scale

Scale in this movie is quite evident from the moment Dorothy lands in Muchkin land where she is a lot larger than all of the small munchkins. Their small size are there to show their innocence. This is further emphasised by the colourful outfits and singing. They don't prove much help and their size perhaps represents their lack of importance in the film.

Paradox

Throughout this film there is paradox which are used to confuse the reader and challenge the story line. For example, the four main characters seem to always want to get what they already have. For example the tin man says he does not have a heart. Yet he is the most emotional of the whole group. Also the idea of power is misunderstood. For example OZ is described as a all powerful wizard, but we find out that he is just a man projecting a large hologram of himself. Power is not as great as it seems. Furthermore, all though this is somewhere over the rainbow and everyone speaks with jolly accents, the place is actually dark and trouble ridden.

Metaphors

The first quite obvious metaphor is that of the yellow brick road. It symbolises the path of life. The story shows that it will not be easy and you will be led of the path but eventually you will end up where you are meant to go.

Another example are the magical shoes she is wearing. In the end it turns out she just had to summon the power of the shoes to get home, not see OZ. She has had the shoes all along, all she had to do was believe. This symbolises that in life we always have the power to pick any path we want.