Okay... I guess I'm the only one who has seen this movie

Today when talking to T about the movie he noted on my way out that I was really in Wiz of Oz mode today. I was puzzled and then he pointed to my ruby red, patent leather pumps and we both laughed. All I had to do was click my heels and I would go home... except that I was already "home" with him in his office.

TN

I was so young when I saw that movie, I think I can't remember all of it. I did see an interesting dramatic version of it once, though. There's certainly a lot of symbolism and analysis you can go into with the whole story. Pretty interesting.

Sorry, TN...we grew up with this movie's TV showing being quite the event, too, and I did have some thoughts about this, but didn't have the same kind of insights you did, which is why I didn't respond right away. But I can tell you what it did bring to mind.

My old T (the one I eventually got terminated from) once tried using the Wizard of Oz as a starting point for a discussion, by asking me which character I thought I was, etc. He pulled out some flyer from a drawer, and when I said I felt like Dorothy, he told me that supposedly she was "histrionic". Then there was this awkward silence...and he put the flyer back, looking kind of embarrassed and saying something like "well that didn't really go very well". But I did appreciate the attempt.

As an adult, I think the part that always chokes me up is when the Wizard "gives" the straw man brains, the tin man a heart, and the lion courage...how they think they are "receiving" these qualities, when really you can see they had them all along.

The other thing I thought of is that I recently read the book "Wicked". It is the story (the "life and times") of the Wicked Witch of the West. I appreciated how her story gave her (and Glinda) so much more depth...neither was all bad, OR all good.

That's too funny that you happened to have the red shoes on today with your T. Glad you already felt "home".

SG

Thanks guys. When I was seeing oldT I was continually struggling with the feelings of loss because I did not have a 4 year college degree and because of that felt stuck in a dead end job. It also made me feel "less than" and I would get angry with oldT because how could he possibly understand... HE had a Ph.D. So he would talk to me about the Scarecrow and how he was intelligent all along but he felt that he needed the validation of something/someone to accept it. Then we would talk about me taking classes, maybe in writing, that would help me feel more accomplished.

Well, I thought about it and then researched some schools and saw an ad for an on line University offering degrees in Psychology. It seemed perfect since I loved reading about psychology. I did some research and chose a school and when everything was in place I bought a small, Wizard of Oz Scarecrow figurine and gave it to my oldT as a gift when I announced to him that I was going back to school for a degree in Psychology. He loved the Scarecrow and kept it on his fireplace mantel. That is a bittersweet memory as I will finally be graduating next month after 3 long, hard years, and he won't even know about it. I had planned a small celebration to have in his office when I graduated. My going back to school was a very real victory for both of us and we spoke of it often, I shared my grades and some of my papers with him and he was always proud (or seemed like he was).

I know Scarecrow was his favorite character. Mine too. I do find the end of the movie really filled with messages. Of couse, when the Scarecrow gets his diploma, but also when the Tin Man gets his heart. The Wizard says "a heart is not valued for how much it loves, but by how much it is loved by others". Lastly, when Glinda comes to Dorothy the last time... she tells her she can just click her heels if she wants to go home... that she had the power all along. And Dorothy says, but why didn't you just tell me? And Glinda replies "you had to find that out for yourself". AH... the essence of therapy right there. Our T's could tell us things but it's really all about our finding out and discovering things for ourselves. It's the experience of the self-discovery that is important.

Then there is the "Wizard" who is just a mere man after all. But this gets mixed into the story my current T told me about the Wizard statue in his office that his friend gave him because they called him the Wizard. This is the statue that has the little dragon as his apprentice. I can honestly say my T IS a wizard of some kind as he has managed to bring me back to life.

One more thing... oldT in his termination email to me that he sent me on Friday the 13th advised me that I really have everything I need if I just go look in my own "backyard". This was taken directly from the end of the movie. It was like a punch in the stomach and I certainly didn't miss the reference to the movie we both spent much time discussing and that I felt had such meaning for us. It's really hard to feel the same way after how our relationship ended.

SG... I have never seen Wicked but it sounds interesting. It WAS funny about the shoes because it was a very unconscious decision to wear them today. And yes, today, my T's office felt very much like home... I had a really bad day at work and he gave me refuge and sanctuary. It was good to sit with the Wizard today.

BLT.. I forget some of you are very young yet. Yes, the symbolism is all through the movie. Makes it interesting to watch it as an adult.

TN

((TN)) sorry it brings up rather bitter sweet memories. We never had 'movie moments' in my family growing up, but they sound lovely.

When I was in the hospital I read the Wizard of Oz, Wicked, Son of a Witch, Out of Oz, A Lion Among Men. It was all I talked about with the nurses, or patients, and all I did all day long. So it has this weird specialness to it in a way. We didn't talk about who I could identify with, and I haven't' brought it up (with the exception of Wicked because the musical was here) I'd have to watch the movie to know who I was most "like" but I'd say probably the Tin Man.

That's a lovely story about your school, TN, and though oldT was part of it maybe T can be part of it now as someone who values and knows all you have to offer and your talents. And he has been with you when you did want to quit after stuff with OldT and you kept going. I can see how seeing it could bring back all sorts of things!

You should live over here TN ....we have the Wizard of Oz on TV every Christmas, wouldn't be Christmas without it being shown on some channel

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We never had 'movie moments' in my family growing up, but they sound lovely.

Hi Cat... we didn't have those either. I think if we had not been at the other family's house and THEY tuned in to the movie for their kids, we probably would not have even known about the movie. Other times, it was more like my mom turning on a movie for us and then leaving to go do something else. I guess that is why I try to watch some movies on TV with my son and I always take him to a movie when we have days off together, usually around holidays. It's sort of a ritual with us now and we enjoy the time together.

TN

TN - I never looked at the symbology of the movie so thanks for pointing it out my mom tells me it was my very favorite movie when I was little and we would watch it every year it came out. I remember the movie but not watching it every year. What I remember most is my dad bought a chocolate lab puppy when I was 3 and he let me name him Toto

TN,
Sorry I'm late to the thread but had to chime in since the Wizard of Oz had been referenced by BOTH of my therapists. I've always thought of the Wizard of Oz as a go to movie for therapists.

My first Ts favorite was the cowardly lion, while my second T liked the Tin man. Both were big on the "they already had what they were looking for."

My first therapist also pulled out the theme of Dorothy needing to find her own way home to talk about how we don't believe in our own capabilities unless we discover them ourselves.

I remember actually using the Wizard from the scene when Toto is pulling open the curtain and exposing the man behind this powerful facade as being how I felt about myself. That I was presenting this powerful, capable front to the world, but pull the curtain aside and you would see the truth.

We also discussed the power of love. Dorothy wasn't trying to hurt the witch when she melted her, she was acting to save the scarecrow who she loved.

Last but not least, my present therapist has talked about how separation does not sever connection. When Dorothy said goodbye to the tinman, lion and scarecrow before leaving Oz they all said they loved each other and that they would never forget and that she would always have a welcome in Oz. The attachment that they all formed continued past them saying goodbye. He would also point out how Dorothy needed other people and her connections, that she could not have completed the quest without the help of her companions.

That's all I can remember right now, but I swear there was more. I think one of the reasons the movie resonated so much was because it is an archetype of the quest mythos in which the hero(ine) grows through the struggle to achieve their goal.

BTW, I am old enough to remember what a huge event the Wizard of Oz was. It was on once a year on NBC and since there was no cable television or VCRs, if you didn't watch it when it was on, you didn't get to see it. I can still remember my kids thinking I was crazy when I got so excited when we bought the DVD, because I could watch it any time I wanted! Although I must confess I remember seeing it the first time when I was pretty young (I was the youngest of four siblings) and the flying monkeys totally freaked me out and I was SO scared of the witch. So I loved the movie but watched a chunk of it through my shirt.

Great topic TN!

AG

PS My husband and his brother are major fans and can repeat large chunks of the movie's dialog word for word by memory. My BIL does an especially funny mayor of Munchkinville.

quote:

We also discussed the power of love. Dorothy wasn't trying to hurt the witch when she melted her, she was acting to save the scarecrow who she loved.

Thank you AG for sharing your thoughts. I didn't think of the part I quoted above but you are correct. Also the attachment aspect... Dorothy and her group really attached and bonded to each other and turned to each other in times of need or distress.

I think it's interesting that you see the aspect of the Wizard in yourself... as being someone behind the curtain with the real you hidden back there. For me, looking at it from this place now in my life, I see that aspect as meaning... don't assign magical or special powers to those who are only mere mortals. I struggle to accept that people who I think are superior to me (with higher degrees, prettier, smarter, richer etc) are really just mere mortals as I am and I need to remember that when I start of feel inferior or the loss of self-esteem.

Thanks so much for your comments and insights.

Raven... that is a nice memory having a dog named Toto. The dog in the movie must have made an impression on you at such a young age.

Hugs
TN

The Wizard of Oz has always been one of my favorites. I even love watching it now. It never ceases to entertain me although I had never thought too much in depth about it at all so I really loved reading this thread and reading everyone's thoughts about the movie. All the parallels to the therapy experience. Very touching. Great thread, TN. And I love that you wore Ruby Slippers today.

I was also afraid of the flying monkeys and had to leave the room when I was little when that scene came on.

Hey, how come no one mentioned the munchkins? The Lollipop kids?

I did see Wicked and it was amazing so if you haven't seen it, try to get there. Well worth it.

Liese