Take a photo of a barcode or cover
tregina 's review for:
The Marvelous Land of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
I've always struggled with this book, because on the one hand Baum has an abundance of female characters and female protagonists who drive the story (here and in all of the Oz books) but on the other it is rife with appalling gender stereotypes. Baum might have been a feminist, but in 1904 that did not mean he was entirely enlightened. It has Ozma, who is glorious and I could go on about the gender issues touched upon there, but it also has Jinjur, who is a general, yes, and that is great, but she's a general who only wants to laze around with jewels and her soldiers are women and therefore obviously must be terrified of mice. But then there is also this:
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the wome have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
So. Conflicted. It's problematic, but it's also progressive? Ultimately, the balance falls on the side of good for me, in no small part because of Ozma, but it will never be unreserved love.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the wome have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
So. Conflicted. It's problematic, but it's also progressive? Ultimately, the balance falls on the side of good for me, in no small part because of Ozma, but it will never be unreserved love.