Chapter 20: The Gilded Age Politics, 1877-1900





The following activities accompany the Legacy for a People and a Nation on "Politics and Popular Culture" in Chapter 20. Refer to page 575 of Norton, A People and a Nation, Sixth Edition for the complete text of this Legacy. There are three parts to this web page: Questions to Consider, Investigation, and Further Exploration.




Questions to Consider
1. Does "The Wizard of Oz" have values and characters that transcend time and place? What are they?

2. How has the emergence of modern popular culture based on movies, television, and sports altered the concept of "fame" in America? How has this changed American politics?

3. Have popular culture celebrities made good political leaders? Who can you name?


Investigation
You are preparing to create a cast of characters for an allegorical play on modern politics and society. What characteristics would you give them? What do they represent? How similar or different are these characters to the one's presented by L. Frank Baum in "The Wizard of Oz"? You may wish to read David B. Parker's article, "The Rise and Fall of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a 'Parable on Populism'" for a simmering dispute about the proper reading of Baum's work. Reviewing Primary Colors and Wag the Dog may help you think of contemporary political themes and characters in popular culture.




Further Exploration
1. For an exhaustive list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding "The Wizard of Oz," see The Wonderful Wizard of Oz List of Frequently Asked Questions.

2. One editorial suggests that the media is responsible for celebrities in politics, and that the results are disasterous.

3. Access the complete text of Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequel.