So, What's In It For Glinda?

by Pepper Mill

I was watching The Wizard of Oz with my daughter not long ago. It got me thinking. . .when Glinda tells Dorothy that she could have gone home any time she wanted to because the Ruby Slippers have the power to take her there, why does she wait until the end of the movie to tell her this? I know she says that Dorothy had to figure it out for herself, but Dorothy doesn’t find that out on her own. Glinda still has to tell her.

I think I know the real story behind The Wizard of Oz. Glinda’s story.

When poor unsuspecting Dorothy lands in Munchkinland, her house has conveniently fallen on and killed the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins call Glinda and tell her what’s happened. She gets over there as fast as she can. Glinda sizes up the situation and sends Dorothy off to see The Wizard. Now I know she says that the Wizard is the only one who can help Dorothy, but if Glinda really is the witch she says she is, she must know that the wizard really is a fake. So why send this poor innocent child off on what may be a fool’s errand?

I feel that Glinda sees Dorothy as a threat. After all, this pretty young outsider does something that Glinda can’t do herself - she kills a Wicked Witch. The munchkins are all set to take care of Dorothy and treat her as if she is a good witch. This would lessen Glinda’s authority. I also think that Glinda saw an opportunity to get rid of a few things that bothered her.

Because Dorothy was so young and ignorant, Glinda takes advantage of her. She tells Dorothy that the Wizard will help her take care of the Wicked Witch of the West. I feel that Glinda knows that the Wizard is a fake and can’t do anything himself about the Wicked Witch. After all, if he could have gotten rid of her, he would have done so soon after he got to Oz. So Glinda sends Dorothy on her way thinking that if the Wicked Witch kills Dorothy along the way, then she is somewhat better off then before Dorothy got there, because she doesn’t have to deal with the Wicked Witch of the East any more. If Dorothy does manage to make it to Emerald City, then either she will be sent away without ever seeing the Wizard, or else the Wizard, seeing his opportunity, will use Dorothy in his quest to get rid of The Wicked Witch of the West. If Dorothy, however, somehow exposes the Wizard for the fraud he is, than Glinda will have back control of Emerald City that she lost when the Wizard arrived.

Things couldn’t have worked out better for Glinda. Dorothy makes it to Emerald City. The Wizard, seeing his chance, sends Dorothy off to get the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West, knowing that Dorothy will have to kill the Witch in order to get it. If Dorothy gets killed in the process, then the Wizard is no worse off than before. If Dorothy kills the Witch, then he’ll just have to think of a way to deal with her.

Dorothy does kill the Witch, and unfortunately for the Wizard, makes it back alive to Emerald City. There she accidentally exposes him for the fake that he is. And even though Dorothy and her friends are still ignorant of the fact that he is not a real Wizard, he knows that it is just a matter of time before he’s exposed. Fortunately for Glinda, the Wizard isn’t one to hold a grudge, and he decides to take Dorothy back home when he leaves.

This makes Glinda very happy! The new little upstart has not only killed the two Wicked Witches, but has gotten the fake Wizard to go back to where he came from - taking Dorothy along! Now Glinda finally has everything she wants. No Wicked Witches screwing things up for her, no fake Wizards taking over the love of the populace, and no new pretty young thing getting the attention that Glinda wants. It’s perfect!

That is until the Wizard’s balloon takes off without Dorothy. Now Glinda knows that she can handle the three simpletons that the Wizard put in charge of Emerald City, but if Dorothy the Witch Slayer stays around, who knows what will happen. So that is when Glinda decides it’s time to step in again. She now tells Dorothy she could have gone home anytime she wanted to. All she has to do is click the heels of the Ruby Slippers together and say, “There’s no place like home.” Now isn’t that just too easy? And when Dorothy does leave Oz, the Ruby Slippers stayed behind.

Now who do you suppose got them?