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Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz 8/28/2011 8:01:29 AM
Ponder possible similarities between Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz... As I watched "The New Hope", the fourth installment of the Star Wars series, I couldn't help but notice some similarities to The Wizard of Oz, novel and movie.
Star Wars: The Wizard of Oz
Galactic Empire: The Cyclone sweeps up Dorothy’s house & takes her away from family, security and home.
Darth Vader: Wicked Witch of the West - relentlessly pursuing Dorothy and her friends.
Obi-wan Kenobi: A Wizard character
Yoda: A Wizard character
The Rebel Alliance: Dorothy’s “rag tag” adventurers.
Luke: Male Dorothy figure: see below
Leia: Dorothy: The role and character of Dorothy was changed in the film version: Dorothy is depicted as a damsel in distress who needs to be rescued. In the novel Dorothy rescues her friends, in keeping with L. Frank Baum's feminist sympathies. Leia is a strong character.
Uncle Owen: Uncle Henry
Aunt Beru: Aunt Em
Han Solo: Scarecrow – closest emotionally to Dorothy – humorous character.
Chewbacca the Wookie: Cowardly Lion
C-3P0: Tin Man
R2-D2: Faithful dog, Toto, with powers
Jawas: Munchkins gone bad
Sand People: Forest creatures
The Force: Glinda the Good Witch of the North, the Yellow Brick Road. Theme: “There's no place like home.”
Light saber: Dorothy's Ruby slippers (silver shoes in the book).
