• 31:13 - 32:45
Robert Sullivan | Cinema Symbolism & The Esoteric Archetypes of Hollywood
Presidential Palindromes and Teetotaler References in Oz
The name Dorothy is revealed to be a near-palindrome for Theodore, referencing Theodore Roosevelt and his progressive movement. Additionally, the dog Toto is linked to the "teetotaler" movement and William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic challenger to the gold standard. Sullivan argues that the density of these naming conventions proves the intentionality of the political subtext in the Oz narrative.