The Writing Post

In this post, we come to the end of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Therefore, we are going to summarize and analyze chapters 18-24 and reflect on the book. In the following chapters, as in the previous chapters, Dorothy attempts to find her way out of Oz after the Wizard abandons her accidentally. Moving forward, she has a host of strange encounters.

Chapter Eighteen: Summary

Dorothy and her friends spend chapter 18 mourning two losses. One is the loss of the Wizard himself and the second is Dorothy’s chance at getting home to Kansas. However, they hatch a plan to travel to the South after they realize that Glinda the Good Witch might be able to help them. As it turns out, the Flying Monkeys cannot travel to Kansas because no Flying Monkey has ever traveled there.

“It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the Land of the South and ask Glinda to help her. For, of course, if Dorothy stays here she will never get back to Kansas.

The company prepares themselves once again to go on an adventure and set out the next morning.

Chapter Nineteen: Summary

In chapter nineteen, Dorothy and her companions combat some fighting trees on their way south to Glinda. At first, a branch strikes the Scarecrow at a wall of trees and sends him flying. After the Tin Woodsman graciously steps forward, he strikes the limb in twain and they are able to ford the ferocious forest in order to continue traveling south to Glinda.

The four travelers walked with ease through the trees until they came to the farther edge of the wood. Then, to their surprise, they found before them a high wall which seemed to be made of white china. It was smooth, like the surface of a dish, and higher than their heads.

While the trees take center stage in this chapter, their threat is quickly dispatched by a sharp axe and a brave woodsman.

Chapter Twenty: Summary

In chapter twenty, Dorothy and company meet Glinda the Good Witch. Before meeting her, however, they ascend her glass wall with a ladder made by the Tin Woodsman. Granted, the surroundings that the group found were extremely strange:

“Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter. Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors. These houses were quite small, the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy’s waist. There were also pretty little barns, with china fences around them; and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens, all made of china, were standing about in groups.”

They meet a great deal of strange people here: from an ornery milkmaid, to a kind princess, to a clown, who is head-to-toe laced with cracks because he is a fool. They learn to be careful as they walk through this strange place, and once again leave to the other side—destroying a small church on the way out.

Chapter Twenty-One: Summary

Dorothy and company descend the wall after exiting the tiny city made out of China. There, they find themselves in a forest. They come upon many different kinds of beasts that address the Cowardly Lion as their king. They tell him that there is a terrible creature that lurks in the woods that has been eating the beasts one-by-one.

“It is a most tremendous monster, like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs, and as the monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it to his mouth, where he eats it as a spider does a fly.”

The Cowardly Lion decides to go and deal with the monster. He does so by jumping and landing on its back. He then knocks the creatures’ head off and watches its legs twitch until it is dead. It’s dark. Afterward, he promises to return to rule over them as long as Dorothy is safely back in Kansas.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Summary

In chapter twenty-two, Dorothy and her friends encounter the Hammer-Heads, who are creatures who have necks that extend far out and allow them to strike people with their flat heads. It is actually a little unsettling, because they are also incredibly mean, as they pummel the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion for trying to pass. As such, Dorothy calls upon the Winged Monkeys. They arrive and carry Dorothy and her friends over the hill to the land of the Quadlings.

The country of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There was field upon field of ripening grain, with well-paved roads running between, and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them. The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red, just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the Winkies and blue in the country of the Munchkins.

While there, they meet some Quadling people and enjoy cake and cookies with them until they are admitted into the castle to see Glinda.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Summary

Dorothy washes up before meeting the Good Witch Glinda, and her companions all clean themselves up, too. The scarecrow patted himself, the lion cleaned his mane, and the Tin Woodsman made sure his joints were oiled. Then, they entered the throne room of the Good Witch.

She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl.

Dorothy explains her predicament to Glinda, who listens intently. When it is over, she tells Dorothy that in exchange for the Golden Cap, she will transport her to Kansas. Dorothy, having rid herself of the monkeys, gives up the cap. Glinda, in her wisdom, then sends each of Dorothy’s companions to where they belong. The Scarecrow to the Emerald City where he will rule. The Tin Woodsman to the land of Winkies. The Cowardly Lion to the jungle where he is to rule the wild beasts.

Glinda then reveals to Dorothy that the silver slippers have magical powers. She can travel back home! After a tearful goodbye to her friends, Dorothy prepares to leave.  

“Dorothy now took Toto up solemnly in her arms, and having said one last good-bye she clapped the heels of her shoes together three times, saying: “Take me home to Aunt Em!”

After flying through the air, Dorothy lands back in Kansas. Here, she realizes that the magical, silver shoes have flown off and are now lost for good.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Summary

In this brief chapter, Dorothy has made it home and so runs toward Aunt Em who is overjoyed to see her. She kisses Dorothy and embraces her, asking her where she came from.

Dorothy replies:

“From the Land of Oz,” said Dorothy gravely. “And here is Toto, too. And oh, Aunt Em! I’m so glad to be at home again!”

Analysis and The End

In these chapters we find that the Land of Oz still has a lot to offer in the way of strange characters, obstacles, and places to visit. This is very reminiscent of Gulliver’s Travels. Especially the glass country section, which seems to be remarking on the fragility of society and institutions. Case in point, the princess is brittle and so is the church. Methinks this was L. Frank Baum being cheeky about what he saw a frailties in society.

Furthermore, ever since the Wicked Witch of the West was brutally murdered by Dorothy, there has been little for the characters to accomplish. However, these chapters give us additional insight into the imaginative land of Oz. Now, I am back to being excited, and I am looking forward to the last few chapters!

Mostly, we see a rehash of obstacles for Dorothy to face in these two chapters. Additionally, the Cowardly Lion is faced with his own task, which is to defeat an evil monster that lurks in the forest. Of course, he defeats it easily. Then, he and his friends travel safely to the land of the Quadling. They are only stopped by those vicious Hammer-Heads before venturing forth.

Again, we see Dorothy’s dedication to her quest and her ability to problem solve as she works with her companions to reach the land of the Quadlings. In the final two chapters, we will see if Dorothy gets her wish to return to Kansas!

Conclusion

So, the story is over, and we have conquered Oz in all its magic and wonder and strangeness. Does that mean it’s over for good? Probably not. I would like to look at some of the other Oz books in the future. But, maybe we will try something different for a few Mondays in exchange for a brief reprieve from a novel exploration

Works Cited

Baum, L. Frank. “The Wizard of Oz the First Five Novels.” Fall River Press, 2014.