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Summary: Chapter XII: The Search for the Wicked Witch

When the one-eyed Wicked Witch of the West spies the travelers through her telescope, she makes several attempts to stop their progress with a series of attacks: a pack of wolves, which the Tin Woodman kills with his axe; a flock of crows, which the Scarecrow kills by breaking their necks; a swarm of bees, who die stinging the Tin Woodman; and Winkies, whom the Cowardly Lion frightens away. 

Finally, using her magic Golden Cap, the Wicked Witch of the West calls out the Winged Monkeys and orders them to destroy all except the Lion, whom she wants to put to work. The Winged Monkeys tear apart the Scarecrow, drop the Tin Woodman on rocks, capture the Cowardly Lion, and transport Dorothy, who is still protected by the Good Witch’s kiss, to the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants the powerful silver shoes. The Witch puts Dorothy to work in the kitchen and unsuccessfully tries to starve the Lion into submission. At one point, the Wicked Witch of the West tricks Dorothy and snatches one of Dorothy’s silver shoes. Angry, Dorothy throws water on her, which causes the Witch to melt.

Analysis: Chapter XII

The companions’ secondary quest to kill the Wicked Witch of the West forms a miniature plot-within-a-plot with its own rising action and climax. As they journey to the west, the Witch spots them and sends out several attackers. Each attack is part of the rising action of this miniature plot. One by one, each of Dorothy’s companions faces a threat that they are perfectly suited to meet. The Tin Woodman chops up attacking wolves; the Scarecrow scares away crows; and the Lion scares away the Witch’s slaves, the Winkies. However, the action rises further when the Flying Monkeys attack them and defeat Dorothy’s companions. In a fairytale-like scenario, Dorothy herself is imprisoned by the Witch and forced to work for her. However, in the climax of this mini-quest, Dorothy kills the Witch by throwing water on her and freeing herself, along with the Lion and the Winkies. 

Dorothy’s conflict with the Wicked Witch of the West brings protagonist and antagonist together to test the power of good against the power of evil. Dorothy’s ability to kill the Witch subverts the Witch’s expectations, and she cries out that she “never thought a little girl like [Dorothy] would be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds.” Both the flying monkeys and the Witch are unable to harm Dorothy directly because she has the sign of the Good Witch of the North on her forehead. The leader of the flying monkeys must admit that the power of good is greater than the power of evil. Dorothy’s triumph over these antagonists shows her that she already possessed the strength she needed, and she can now ask to be returned home by the Wizard.

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