There is no Such Thing as a Wizard

In reading Salmon Rushdies take on The Wizard of Oz I found many points he made of much significance and importance. However, in the reading something really captured my attention causing me to ponder on the message Rushdie was pointing out. He accomplished this through the analysis of the each character deemed "hollow".
Just as Dorothy stood among the munchkins as an equal, so do the audience in relation to the tin man, the cowardly lion, and the scarecrow. Their anti-heroism and lack of greater qualities make these imaginative characters our equal. It is also their hollowness which allows our imaginations to enter them and compensate for what is missing. One of the rich messages of the movie remains in what we are tricked to believe are hollow characters, and that is "we already possess what we seek so fervently." (49, Rushdie) In order for the audience to fully absorb this message however, we must begin looking for solutions on the outside. We must alter our view so that we regard those we believe to have the answers and whom we label "powerful"- as hollow men . Only once we begin to see wizards as hollow men and ultimatly stop believing in wizards, can we believe in ourselves. This particular message added alot to my viewing experience and interpretation of The Wizard of Oz.