Feminism in Oz: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Series and Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die Series

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Murphy, S. (2020). Feminism in Oz: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Series and Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die Series. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

L. Frank Baum is best known for his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a story of a young girl named Dorothy who has an abundance of adventure. It is lauded by many as "the quintessential American Fairy Tale" (Riley 3), and it has become the inspiration for many different adaptations. Danielle Paige, the author of the Dorothy Must Die series, creates a new tale in which Amy Gumm, a teenager from Kansas, must kill the evil dictator Dorothy before she destroys Oz completely. This thesis will analyze how Paige transforms Baum’s classic tale into a modern, young adult retelling that both supports and flouts feminist ideals. By dissecting the roles of mothers, analyzing oppressive clothing and accoutrement, and reflecting on how agency and personhood are attributed to gender, this thesis aims to encourage the lifelong questioning and evolution of the term feminism in both literature and society.

Details
Author

Murphy, Shannon

Title

Feminism in Oz: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Series and Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die Series

Physical Description

1 online resource (75 pages) : PDF

Date

2020

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

L. Frank Baum is best known for his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a story of a young girl named Dorothy who has an abundance of adventure. It is lauded by many as "the quintessential American Fairy Tale" (Riley 3), and it has become the inspiration for many different adaptations. Danielle Paige, the author of the Dorothy Must Die series, creates a new tale in which Amy Gumm, a teenager from Kansas, must kill the evil dictator Dorothy before she destroys Oz completely. This thesis will analyze how Paige transforms Baum’s classic tale into a modern, young adult retelling that both supports and flouts feminist ideals. By dissecting the roles of mothers, analyzing oppressive clothing and accoutrement, and reflecting on how agency and personhood are attributed to gender, this thesis aims to encourage the lifelong questioning and evolution of the term feminism in both literature and society.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

English literature

Degree

M.A.

Keywords

Danielle Paige
Dorothy Must Die
Feminism
Gender
L. Frank Baum
Sexuality

Subject Area

English

Advisor(s)

Connolly, Paula

Committee Members

West, Mark
Shealy, Daniel

Degree Note

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2020.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Murphy_uncc_0694N_12390

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:2404