Deep Thoughts on Dorothy
Was Kansas Really Home?
You remember Dorothy, don’t you? She was the wide-eyed girl from Kansas who befriended three pig-feeding farm hands that gave bestie-style life advice while working on a broken-down wagon. She was the mouthy niece of Uncle Henry and Auntie Em, the God-fearing farmers who collected chicks in their dusty apron and top hat. Toto’s Dorothy; and I love everything about her.
But no matter how many times I watched her click those magical ruby slippers and mouth the words “there’s no place like home,” I always thought Dorothy was lying. Ok, maybe not lying, but I was always a little suspicious of her. Was she really longing to return to Kansas? The Kansas way of life just seemed so foreign to her.
Just think about it for a minute…
She was staying with older relatives. What happened to her parents?
She is holding schoolbooks in the opening scene, so we know she was educated.
She was very independent.
She was wearing a brightly colored dress and ribbons in her hair which is not your typical “time-to-do-my-farm-chores” clothing.
She had a small dog, which was clearly not a farm dog.
She panicked when she fell into the pig pen.
She didn’t know where to go when the tornado hit. Her first instinct should have been to run to the storm cellar.
She dreamt of being somewhere other than Kansas…. somewhere over the rainbow.
She wore the ruby slippers with ease.
Dorothy had a long way to go when she stepped out onto that yellow brick road. Yet she wore those ruby slippers so effortlessly, especially for a girl who was raised on a farm in the middle of Kansas.
Or was she?
I have a my own storyline and it’s one that includes a few different types of roads:
From the green pastures of Ireland, to the golden city of New York, and through twists and turns Dorothy lands far away from home on a farm in Kansas.
Sound like an interesting backstory for Dorothy? I think it does. One of these days, I will share more on Dorothy’s life before Kansas. In the meantime, I have a favor to ask you. The next time you come across The Wizard of Oz on TV, don’t flip to the next channel. Take a minute and watch. See if you notice the items I’ve listed. I would love to hear your thoughts on where you believe life started for Dorothy. Where is that place that sits “just a step beyond the rain?”
Song Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Jewel
This version…. so sweet and beautiful.
I love this post! I used to lecture about opera and opera characters. The way you look for subtext beneath the surface plot points is similar to what I used to do in my classes, lectures and blog. I'm definitely sharing this on Substack and elsewhere.