Salman Rushdie's "The Wizard of Oz"

It has been a while since I have seen "The Wizard of Oz" and reading Rushdie's interpretation of it gave me a new perspective on the film. I believe that the film seems to emphasize the importance of one's family and that home may not be an actual place but a feeling we get from being with people we love. I also think that Oz isn't necessarily a place Dorothy wants to be instead of home. Instead I think it is a place she needs to go in order to grow up some and begin to appreciate what she has. Oz seems to be a place where Dorothy can make that transition from childhood to adulthood much smoother than she could have in Kansas. It gives her the opportunity to figure out who she is and what she is capable of. She isn't not treated at a silly child but as a heroine who is respected greatly and looked to for advice and help. Throughout her journey in Oz she learns that she the things she really wants (getting back to Kansas or be allowed to keep Toto) don't always come easy and sometimes you have to fight for them. However, unlike Kansas, in Oz she has a say in what happens to her and her fate isn't decided by adults. Therefore Oz is somewhere for her to grow and become a strong woman, not necessarily where she goes in order to escape Kansas.