In L. Frank Baum's novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," there is a notable reference to sinful witch stockings. This reference can be found in Chapter 12, titled "The Search for the Wicked Witch." During their quest to find the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy and her companions encounter many obstacles and dangers. One of these obstacles is a field of poisonous poppies. The scent of these poppies puts Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman to sleep.
So how do our heroes get what they want? It turns out that they answer their own prayers, in a way. Throughout the movie and especially at the climax, we see the Scarecrow being smart without a brain, the Tin Man showing affection without a heart, and the Cowardly Lion facing fear without any courage. Even Dorothy could have gone home to Kansas the moment she arrived through the power of her magic ruby slippers, which have been on her feet the whole time. Each character could have helped himself or herself all along, because they, not the Wizard, had the power. This illustrates the concept known as secular humanism, which asserts that our own scientific knowledge and human effort are all we need to make the world a better place. God may or may not exist, but he has no place in such a system.
Throughout the movie and especially at the climax, we see the Scarecrow being smart without a brain, the Tin Man showing affection without a heart, and the Cowardly Lion facing fear without any courage. Even Dorothy could have gone home to Kansas the moment she arrived through the power of her magic ruby slippers, which have been on her feet the whole time.
The scent of these poppies puts Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman to sleep. However, the Cowardly Lion is unaffected and helps to carry them out of danger. When they arrive in the Emerald City, they explain their dilemma to the great and powerful Wizard of Oz.
Overanalysis: The Godless Wizard of Oz
As a Christian with a passion for quality entertainment, I’m aware that my fellow believers have boycotted a lot of different media. We disapproved of the witchcraft in Harry Potter, we worried Pokémon was of the devil, and we even refused to watch Disney movies when the theme park offered a special day for homosexuals. Some of these reactions I can understand, some may have been overblown, and some are just weird. But there is one movie I think we’ve overlooked, one great classic that opposes the very core of what we believe. I’m talking, of course, about The Wizard of Oz.
Almost as soon as Dorothy arrives in Oz, she hears about the Wizard, an all-powerful being who can grant any wish, mush like answering prayer. No one has ever seen the Wizard, but everyone believes he exists. She goes on a journey, possibly a pilgrimage of sorts, in order to meet him and have her prayer answered. Along the way, she meets others and tells them about the Wizard, convincing them to seek after him so that their desires may be granted as well. In a way, she is converting them to belief in the Wizard. She is even sent on a mission that involves freeing the Winkies from their enslavement to the Wicked Witch, just as Christians are part of God’s mission to free others from their enslavement to sin.
In the end, however, it turns out that, while there is a wizard, he is merely mortal and has no power. He is a con artist who uses tricks and inventions to make the people of Oz “worship” him and obey his every command. But even though our heroes know he is a fraud, they still come to him asking for what they want. In this case, the book is probably worse than the movie, because in the book, he actually pretends to give them what they want, whereas in the movie, he makes no such pretense, only making them appear to have everything they need and want.
So how do our heroes get what they want? It turns out that they answer their own prayers, in a way. Throughout the movie and especially at the climax, we see the Scarecrow being smart without a brain, the Tin Man showing affection without a heart, and the Cowardly Lion facing fear without any courage. Even Dorothy could have gone home to Kansas the moment she arrived through the power of her magic ruby slippers, which have been on her feet the whole time. Each character could have helped himself or herself all along, because they, not the Wizard, had the power. This illustrates the concept known as secular humanism, which asserts that our own scientific knowledge and human effort are all we need to make the world a better place. God may or may not exist, but he has no place in such a system.
In short, The Wizard of Oz seems to imply that God is not as powerful as he claims to be and that we can thrive on our own power. Is this just cause for boycotting the film? Probably not. It’s still entertaining, with themes of friendship, cooperation, and the importance of home. I guess I’m just surprised no one in the Christian community has gone ballistic over this movie yet. But then again, I’m probably the only one who has overanalyzed it.
As a Christian with a passion for quality entertainment, I’m aware that my fellow believers have boycotted a lot of different media. We disapproved of the witchcraft in Harry Potter, we worried Pokémon was of the devil, and we even refused to watch Disney movies when the theme park offered a special day for homosexuals. Some of these reactions I can understand, some may have been overblown, and some are just weird. But there is one movie I think we’ve overlooked, one great classic that opposes the very core of what we believe. I’m talking, of course, about The Wizard of Oz.
The Wizard tells them that the only way to defeat the Wicked Witch is to bring him her broomstick. With this newfound knowledge, Dorothy and her friends set off once again to accomplish their mission. Throughout this journey, Baum describes the attire of the characters. Dorothy is said to wear "golden stockings." The Scarecrow wears "blue stockings." The Tin Woodman wears "tin boots and stockings." These descriptions add depth to the characters and allow readers to visualize their appearances. It is in this context that the reference to sinful witch stockings is made. When describing the stockings of the Wicked Witch, Baum writes, "Her stockings had no holes or runs in them, as Dorothy's sometimes had, and the Witch looked at them with an evil smile." This implies that the Wicked Witch's stockings are perfect and without flaws, further emphasizing her wickedness. The inclusion of this detail may seem insignificant, but it contributes to the overall characterization of the Wicked Witch and her status as the antagonist of the story. By highlighting her flawless stockings, Baum suggests that she is untouchable and more powerful than Dorothy and her companions. Overall, the reference to sinful witch stockings in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" serves to enhance the characterization of the Wicked Witch and emphasize her antagonistic role in the story. It adds an additional layer to her wickedness and distinguishes her from the other characters..
Reviews for "Dancing with Darkness: The Sinful Witch Stockings and the Wicked Side of Oz"
- John - 1/5 - I was extremely disappointed with "Sinful witch stockings the wizard of oz". The title made it sound like an interesting and unique twist on the classic story, but it turned out to be nothing more than a tasteless and poorly executed attempt at erotica. The characters were shallow, the plot was non-existent, and the writing itself was cringe-worthy. I couldn't even finish reading it as it felt like a waste of my time and money. I would strongly advise anyone considering this book to stay far away from it.
- Sarah - 2/5 - As a fan of "The Wizard of Oz", I was excited to read "Sinful witch stockings the wizard of oz". However, I found it to be a major disappointment. The author seemed more focused on incorporating explicit and unnecessary sexual scenes rather than creating an engaging and well-developed storyline. The characters lacked depth, and I found it difficult to connect with any of them. While the concept had potential, the execution fell flat. Overall, it was a poorly written and unsatisfying read for me.
- David - 1/5 - I can't believe I wasted my time reading "Sinful witch stockings the wizard of oz". It was a complete mess from start to finish. The plot was all over the place, the dialogue was cringe-worthy, and the characters felt like shallow caricatures of their original counterparts. The attempt at combining erotica with "The Wizard of Oz" was a failure, and it left me feeling disappointed and disgusted. I would not recommend this book to anyone who appreciates quality literature.