Jungian Interpretation of Wizard of Oz

As Carl Jung believed, every story is told in terms of archetypes, with the same ones being ever-present, including, but not limited to, the Self, the Anima/Animus, the Shadow, and the Wise Old Man. The Wizard of Oz is no different from any other text every written or read.

In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy represents the Self, since the story centers around her. Glinda, the witch of the North, represents the Anima, since there is no animus since animus's are male. The Anima has the same goals as the Self, and also the same gender. This describes Glinda, since she wants Dorothy to safely find her way home. The Self and the Anima are usually allies in a story. The wicked witch of the West represents the Shadow, since the Shadow does not have the Self's best interests in mind. Also the Shadow has opposing goals from the Self and is part of the darker side of the Self's consciousness. This describes the wicked witch of the West, since she wants Dorothy dead. Another common archetype in stories is that of the Wise Old Man, which is represented by the Wizard in this case. Everyone is seeking him out for help, and when they find him, he gives them the best help they could possibly get: advice. It turns out that the scarecrow had a brain, the tin man had a heart, and the lion had courage all along.