Screenwriting Lessons: “The Wizard of Oz” — Part 2: Transformation
“The seeds of change lie within.”
“The seeds of change lie within.”
Joel Coen of the Coen brothers has said: “Every movie ever made is an attempt to remake The Wizard of Oz.” True or not, all I know is I constantly reference the film in my teaching. Why? Because it contains so many classic narrative elements.
Therefore I was inspired to take on a week-long series focusing on screenwriting lessons we can draw from The Wizard of Oz.
Today: Transformation.
Joseph Campbell said the entire point of the Hero’s Journey is transformation, but here’s the interesting thing: It’s not a journey of attainment, rather it’s one of REATTAINMENT, not of discovery, but REDISCOVERY.
In thinking about The Wizard of Oz, we may be tempted to think that can’t possibly be right because Dorothy has to attain one thing after another:
- Get to Emerald City
- Secure a meeting with the Wizard of Oz
- Obtain the Witch’s broom
- Bring it back to the Wizard
Indeed along the way, she ‘attains’ three allies in the form of Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
That’s all true… in the Plotline, the story’s physical journey. Yet as we all know from that pivotal moment toward the end of the movie:
“You don’t need to be helped any longer. You’ve always had the power to go back to Kansas… she had to learn it for herself.”
Dorothy ALWAYS had the power. She had to LEARN it for herself.
In other words, she had to REATTAIN something she already knew. But there’s knowing something… and KNOWING it.
Dorothy rediscovers that she longs to be in Kansas by being separated from it. She rediscovers her affection for Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. She also gets the message through the exploits of her three allies:
- Scarecrow connects with his intelligence.
- Tin Man connects with his heart.
- Cowardly Lion connects with his courage.
Each already had their respective power. They, too, had to “learn it” for themselves. Dorothy watches this dynamic play out with her newfound friends… then takes it to heart when she wishes her way back home.
“The seeds of change lie within.” Those are words written by the Latin poet Ovid whose magnum opus was “Metamorphoses”. A character’s change may be incited and inspired by the events of the Plotline, but for transformation to happen, the seeds of who they are to become must be in place awaiting their narrative destiny to unfold, a journey to Reattain and Rediscover the power which exists within already.
And THAT is the essence of Transformation.
Tomorrow: Trickster.