The Wizard of Oz and Ugly Criminals - Essay Example

Brief Commentaries on The Wizard of Oz and Ugly Criminals The Wizard of Oz” is based on L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” published in 1900.It was a political metaphor of the influences that is widespread during Baum’s era such as the populism in the country. In the 1896 elections, advocates of populism supported William Jennings Bryan, a Democrat presidential nominee. Dorothy’s character in The Wizard of Oz is also William Jennings Bryan. Dorothy, the embodiment of Bryan, battles against Oz, which can be viewed as standard measurement for gold (ounce).

Emerald City is a symbol for Washington, and the fight is about gold and silver. In real-life politics, Bryan supported free coinage of silver as an effort to help farmers and industrial workers get out of debt. In “The Wizard of Oz,” scarecrows symbolize the farmers whose poverty and ignorance made them only able to understand little things in simple ways. The Tim Man symbolizes the industrial workers who are either not working (the Tim Man was unemployed for a year), in need of money (no oil), and dehumanized by work (robot-like).

The movement was about inflating the supply of money by coining silver and distributing it along with gold. It was called “bi-metalism.” 2. The study “Ugly Criminals” explores the concept that attractive people have more chances to successful careers, thus earn higher wages. This pushes the unattractive counterparts to opt for illicit means of earning money. Additionally, unattractive people have lesser chances to widen their networks and engage in public interactions that would have amplified their capacity to sympathize and identify with the society.

Works Cited Mocan, N, and E Tekin. "Ugly Criminals." Review of Economics and Statistics. 92.1 (2010): 15- 30. Print. Rockoff, Hugh. "The "wizard of Oz" As a Monetary Allegory." Journal of Political Economy. 98.4 (1990): 739-760. Print.