Feb 7, 2009

Chapter13 The Rescue

After Dorothy destroyed the Wicked Witch of the West, though I thought she would go back to the Emerald City as quickly as possible, she informed the Winkies of being released from the Wicked Witch of the West, rescued the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, got friendly with the Winkies, and enjoyed staying the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West having feasts with them. Then, one day, she remembered Aunt Em...ummm...so...she didn't feel uncomfortable in Oz...why didn't she keep living in Oz? Did she need forcedly to go back to Kansas?

Eventually, the travelers were to go back to the Emerald City. Before they set out, Dorothy hunted out the Witch's cupboard and got the Golden Cap, which could call the Flying Monkeys while she didn't know about its power. How shrewd she was!:)

What I always wonder aoubt is the Scarecrow. Every time after he is ruined, he always got new straws to stuff his body, and he got a new face painted on his head again, then... tada!...he is back again! But..., you know, he changed his everything. How does he keep his personality and memory?;P

Feb 1, 2009

Chapter12 The Search for the Wicked Witch

This chapter is longer than the others. It describes the time from when Dorothy and her companions set out to seek the Wicked Witch of the West up to the time when they destroy the Witch. Many things happen.

Because the movie's impression is very strong, I cannot imagine the Wicked Witch of the West having any other faces except that green face shown in the movie. However, in the original story written by Baum, there is no mention of her face color. (So, probably, Elphaba in "Wicked" is from the movie's image.) She can see with only one of her eyes, but that eye is so clear-sighted it acts like a telescope, (there is another one-eyed witch who is named Blinkie in "The Scarecrow of Oz", the 9th book of the Oz series. Are there any relationships between the two witches?) And the Witch's blood dried up in her body many years ago....that's all we are told about her.

The reason why the Wicked Witch of the West captured Dorothy and her companions was not because she was Dorothy. The Witch just disliked having a troop intrude in her own territory. She ordered the flying monkeys to bring the Lion to her because she wanted to ride it as a horse, but she didn't care about Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, or the Tin Woodman at all. The flying monkeys weren't able to harm Dorothy because of the charm of the Good Witch of the North, so they brought Dorothy to the Wicked Witch of the West. At that time, for the first time, the Witch realized "Oh my, this child is wearing the magic silver slippers."

In the movie, the Witch's target was Dorothy because she killed her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East....This is confusing! In the original story, there is no mention about any kind of relationship between the two witches, or even if they knew each other or not. I think they at least knew each other's names, though:)

At any rate, isn't it surprising that the Witch of the West was melted by water? (Hey, Witch, are you suger or something?;)) She also couldn't take Dorothy's silver slippers because she feared the dark. She didn't notice that Dorothy secretly gave food to the Lion. Her subjects were only wolves, crows, bees....is that all? She had a magic golden cap which could call the flying monkeys three times, but she had called them three times already. Actually, she doesn't scare me, after I carefully reread everything about her . The Wicked With of the West. The bitch of bitches. (Sorry, rude words!) I wonder if that image is from the movie.

In Oz, nobody can die, but, the Wicked Witch of the East and the Wicked Witch of the West both died. I don't know why:P

Dorothy got angry because the Witch took the other one of the silver slippers, and get more angry because the Witch said "I shall get another one too", and then the anger made her lose her temper, she dashed the water from the nearby bucket onto the Witch. How strong she was!

And then, while she apologized "Sorry, I didn't know you would be melted by water," she dashed the water again over the melting witch to melt her completely, swept her out through the door, and innocently got back her silver slipper back. Can I call her, "strong"? Her indifferent nature is amazing!!:)

Chapter11 The Wonderful Emerald City of Oz

Finally, the time has come. They meet the Great Wizard of Oz.

The Great Wizard of Oz seems not to have known that Dorothy's house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East, killing her. He asked Dorothy how she got the silver slippers and the charm kiss from the Good Witch of the North. I thought he knew everything, but actually, he doesn't.:(

However, this was great that he made each of the four of them meet him privately, and every time, his appearance was different. It showed them (and us) how great the Great Wizard was. Super!

What I have been curious and skeptical of for long time is this; the Great Wizard of Oz asked each person "Why should I this for you?" Why?...such a thing...do you ask someone if you are a ruler? In the end, the story goes that if they want to ask the Wizard a favor, they should kill the Wicked Witch of the West first. Well, I expected something like "If you can kill the Witch, I would recognize that you would be worth of using my magic power as a reward for your effort." But the Wizard said only "Help me and I'll help you." This is nothing but "give and take." He doesn't seem to think he should care for his subjects because he has magic power. Fifty-fifty relationship. Ummm...is this, maybe, very American??

By the way, Mr. Scarecrow! You didn't need to stand still in the corner of the room allocated until the meeting to the Wizard, watching the spider weaving their net all night, even though I know you don't need to sleep at all. Don't you have anything else to do?;)

Dorothy seemed thoughtless in the previous chapters, but, in this chapter, she mentioned her opinion, "I don't want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again." Ummm...but if she doesn't kill the Wicked Witch of the West... that means she could never go back to Kansas forever...this is a tough question, isn't it? If I were her?? Oz is a wonderful place, but I feel uncomfortable thinking of living in Oz for the rest of my life...but...ummm....what would you do if you were Dorothy?

Well, before thinking that, I'd like to say to Dorothy, "Your first worry should be about being killed by the Witch at first!" She isn't afraid of it at all:p Maybe, she believed in the strength of the charm from the Good Witch of the North:)