Top 5 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz quotes
"When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side." - Narrator, Chapter 1
This quote from the beginning of the book is meant to establish a clear contrast between dreary dull Kansas against the colourful and vibrant land of Oz. By describing Kansas in this way the author communicates how the homesickness that Dorothy experiences is not because her home is somehow more fantastic and lively than Oz but rather that it is less so, and yet she longs for it because it is simply home.
"No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home." - Dorothy, Chapter 4
There is no place like home. This is a quote that was popularised in both the film and the book. Dorothy is not swayed by all the wonderful things that she sees in Oz, her identity is still very much linked to her home in Kansas. The value of loyalty towards your country is also propagated here, it was a personal value that Frank Baum himself believed quite strongly. As such, it is promoted as a moral value and it remains a dominant theme throughout the rest of the book.
"While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth, but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one. " - Tin Woodman, Chapter 5
The Tin Woodman believes that he cannot love simply because he no longer physically possesses one. In contrast, his actions are always motivated by the love and devotion that he bears for his friends. This is first demonstrated when he accidentally kills a beetle by stepping on it, and it causes him to cry profusely. He is unable to recognise his capacity to love and care for others until the Wizard of Oz bestows upon him a heart made of silk and sawdust.
"I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out-here I go! " - The Wicked Witch of the West, Chapter 12
These are the last words uttered by the Wicked Witch when Dorothy accidentally kills her. It is important to note that Dorothy never intended to harm the witch by simply throwing water at her. This aspect of the plot allows Dorothy to complete the mission that Oz had assigned her but it doesn't cause her to violate her moral values.
"You know, of course, that courage is always inside one, so that this really cannot be called courage until you have swallowed it. Therefore I advise you to drink it as soon as possible. " - Oz, Chapter 16
Oz says these words when he wants the Lion to drink a liquid that is most likely some form of alcohol. Oz had very candidly explained to Dorothy and her friends that he could not grant them the things they wished for, but they are unwilling to accept this. Oz then resorts to the use of his humbug skills and makes them believe that he is given them all that they had always desired. However, Oz also realises that the problem Dorothy faces is a lot more complex and requires a more realistic solution.
