Dorothy and the Boyz

Abstract

The Wizard of Oz and Boyz N the `Hood are the same story. The protagonists, Dorothy and Tre, are the same character. A critical examination of the literary and cultural similarities between The Wizard of Oz and Boyz N the `Hood will prove their mirror reflections. Yet, racial bias clouds this reflection and influences what moviegoers pay to see, how they perceive what they see, and what they choose as their favorite films. The theories and writings of three of the foremost authorities on the screenplay and the art of dramatic writing, Lajos Egri, Syd Field, and Robert McKee, demonstrate the connections between The Wizard of Oz and Boyz N the ` Hood. Respectively, the young protagonists, Dorothy and Tre, are both facing death while trying to survive and escape their dangerous environments. Absent of racism, an audience should be able to see similarity in character and accept any good story, well told.