Symbolism in the Wizard of OZ

The Oz. in Oz
The late 19th century was a time of drastic internal improvements in the United States. During this "Gilded Age," The Democratic platform and the silver standard captivated Baum. Baum supported William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic candidate for President in 1896. Jennings Bryan, however, lost the election. Baum, an already accomplished children's author, then wrote The Wizard of Oz, as an allegory of the Populists' failed efforts to reform the nation in 1896. The Wizard of Oz is a book with fantasy characters for children, but it also reflects the failed Populist reform.…