Modernism Metaphors

In class we talked about the new age of modernism in literature and art as it came about in the 19th century. We also talked about how this very controversial movement that brought a change from the traditional way of "natural" to the modernistic way of " rational as Mr. Kunkle said in class. We also talked about the Explosion of Modernism in the early 20th century and the political upheavals that it caused as well as creating metaphors aligned with different issues of the time. In my U.S. History class, while discussing the Guilded Age, (the first 35 years after the Civil War), we discussed how L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was less a children's book than it was a metaphor for Bimetalism, the headlining political issue of the Democrats and Republicans in the 1896 election, as well as for other things such as western farming. He depicts many aspects of these issues through his characters and settings:

One of the controlling forces at this time were Big Businesses who had the support and influence over the Republican party. Their main source of labor came from the massive influx of immigrants seeking jobs who they could easily manipulate into low paying jobs. Labor unions popped up looking for better conditions however the government did not do much to help. In the book, Big Business is represented by the "Wicked Witch of the East" as they were mainly located on the East Coast. Immigrants, who were not very highly thought of at this time are represented by short, less-than-human beings with annoying odd voices also known as "Munchkins." When the house drops on the witch, the munchkins are freed from the oppressor. The "Tin Man" represents the steel worker labor unions, looking for a "heart" of the business owner to give better conditions. The "Wizard" is a representation of the position of President at this time. A man that is in a highly esteemed and popular position, but who does not have the power to really do anything. The Emerald City is Washington D.C.

The issue of Bimetalism is brought up as well. This refers to the want of inflation by farmers and debtors by adding silver to the gold standard which said that the nation could not print off more money than it had gold for. Adding silver at a 16:1 ratio would increase money and inflation in the U.S. In the story, the "Yellow Brick Road" represents the Gold Standard. In the book, but changed in the movie, the "ruby slippers" are actually "silver slippers" and represent the addition of silver. "OZ" being the symbol for ounce represents the 16:1 ratio with 16 ounces of silver per pound of gold.

Finally, farming in the West was also a problem around this time. Land was barren with little to no water and faced locusts that could eat up crops in a day. Farmers made more and more crops that caused the market prices to drop and they made little money. L. Frank Baum represents these farmers as the "Scarecrow" without the "brains" to work together to control the market. The "flying monkeys" are these locusts that leave the crops wasted, and the "Wicked Witch of the West" represents the heavy drought that made land hard to cultivate. Her "melting" by the water symbolizes the advanced irrigation that helped end this drought.

For anyone who so chooses to do so, I encourage him or her to add any other stories, movies, works of art, etc. that could have had a symbolic or metaphoric meaning to the time. Please explain and feel free to go into as much depth as you choose, whether it be short or lengthier like mine.