Off to See the Wizard

In Narnia, we met a good lion; we will see a far different lion--a cowardly lion--in the Wizard of Oz. This Monday we will be viewing the movie based on The Wizard of Oz--Judy Garland's ruby shoes are not in the book, by the way. While we watch, we'll eat snacks and critique the movie using the Starting Points curriculum. Does the Wizard of Oz present the Biblical worldview--or something else (what?) Which character, if any, represents God?

Surely not the Wizard:
"I think you are a very bad man," said Dorothy.
"Oh, no, my dear; I'm really a very good man, but I'm a very bad Wizard, I must admit."
"Can't you give me brains?" asked the Scarecrow.
"You don't need them. You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it doesn't know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get."

Perhaps this sounds like sound advice; but certainly not Godlike. The Wizard indulged the Scarecrow in the end, and stuffed his head with "a measure of bran, which he mixed with a great many pins and needles" to make him "sharp."

What is the source of the power in Oz? Is the use of power outside of God's glory condemned in Bible teachings on witchcraft? I must admit, when the mouse queen advises Dorothy to say a charm to call the Winged Monkeys to her command, I felt distinctly uncomfortable. Is this a pricking of my conscience, or simply squeamishness?

AFA Journal, http://www.afa.net/journal/february/2002/harrypotter.asp , asks regarding movies such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of Oz, "How do we define the evil that is to be opposed, and upon what basis do we decide between those for whom we cheer and those we don’t?...Tolkien’s wizards are not wizards in the Harry Potter sense. Instead, they are more akin to angelic beings – capable of falling into a state of dark corruption and rebellion against the One True God who created them (as explained in Tolkien’s background history to Lord of the Rings, entitled The Silmarillon.)The Lord of the Rings trilogy also contains sublime spiritual insights founded upon a Christian worldview, which is lacking in Harry Potter. These truths include the power of sin to corrupt and enslave; the self-deluding power of pride; and the nature of demonic evil as personal and universally destructive, rather than psychological or metaphorical."

Note that the Wizard of Oz movie is different from the book in important respects, and this may alter your arguments. For one thing, I suggest that if you write an essay with the contention that "Satan's footwear is red," that you must first deal with the fact that in the book, Dorothy's slippers were silver. The book is now in public domain; Get your own free copy of Baum's Wizard of Oz at http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6896.

What do you think? Blog your comments.

"The Horse and His Boy"

Next week, we will discuss"The Horse and His Boy." As you review the book this week, consider the following questions: How does Shasta respond to Aslan? How did Bree become a wiser horse? Compare and contrast Aslan's role in "The Horse and His Boy" to the role of God in the circumstances of this world. In what way is Aslan's involvement in the circumstance of Narnia similar to or different from the Biblical view of God's involvement in the cricumstances in the world in which we live?

Analyzing Literature: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

This week, we finished up our study of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Take the challenge:
"Describe the rescue and release of Edmund in terms of the deep magic and the deeper magic from before the dawn of time...Would you describe this portion of the story as a symbol or an allusion to Christ? If so, in what ways?"--from the Starting Points curriculum, by David Quine.