Simply Objects

“There’s no place like home,” quoted from one of the most controversial movies of its time. If you watch The Wizard of Oz and don’t look into the details of the movie, you may assume the movie was made for children and is completely fantasy. I did some research on the movie and found out some interesting things. “Many people believe that The Wizard of Oz was (and is) an allegory for the radically new state of affairs that existed in America in the 1930s”( http://www.independentamericans.us/The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz.htm). This website goes on to exploit every character and nearly every event in the story as a symbol. “the fact that it symbolizes one of the worst episodes in the world's history of the denial of freedom or justice, should not be construed to imply that the movie and story are not entertaining.” All of this information came as a surprise to me. The fact that Salman Rushdie used the ruby slippers from the story in one of his short stories, did not surprise me.

In the story At the Action of the Ruby Slippers, found in Salman Rushdie’s book East, West, these precious slippers were on sale to the highest bidder. Why would people be so crazed about owning them? "We revere the ruby slippers because we believe they can make us invulnerable to witches, their powers of reverse metamorphosis, normalcy and to which the slippers promise us we can return; and because they shine like the footwear of the gods" (page 92). The auctioneers have “publicized the even widely and are prepared for all comers” (87). It is unknown exactly who the auctioneers are, but their power to have control over such a valuable item shows they must be people of high rank. Other things for sale at the action include the Taj Mahal, the Statue of Liberty, and the Alps, the Phoenix, wives, husbands, state secrets and even human souls. “Everything is for sale” (98).

This event attracts most people, but according to the book “most of us nowadays are sick” (87). Some of the people attending the action are movie stars, memorabalilia junkies, cult members, the public, Exiles, political refugees, religious fundamentalists, orphans and imaginary beings. Priests are ready outside of the action waiting to deal with any “psychic fall-out” or “insanity overspill”. There is the SWOT team also waiting, “incase the excitement leads to any unexpected births or deaths” (87). 

The main character, who is also the narrator, desired for the ruby slippers in order to offer them to his cousin. “I would offer the miracle-shoes to Gale in all humility” (97). He had a romantic relationship with his cousin, but she was caught with another lover, and they had not seen each other since then. He did however, see her from a distance but did not let his presence be known. In the end, he chose to drop out of the auction. He realizes fictions are dangerous. “In fictions grip, we may mortgage our homes, sell our children, to have whatever we crave” (102). His desire to offer the slippers “floats away” and Gail “loses her hold” on him. When he awoke the next morning, he feels “refreshed” and “free”.

Our desire for material things is overwhelming. Objects sometimes have too much of a strong hold and mean too much in our minds. Take the throwing of a bouquet at a wedding. Woman are willing to pull hair, scratch, bite or even punch each other to catch it in order to hold the symbolizes it represents. Sometimes symbolism created in object forces our human nature to the limits of barbarism, as we forgot about what’s really important in life.