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Wicked: The Real Elphaba Essay

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In Gregory Maguire's novel, Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West happen before the novel by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In Baum’s novel of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, portrays the role of the Wicked Witch of the West being wicked. We have no background or personal preference to understand her life of the Wicked Witch of the West (as known as Elphaba). But in Maguire’s novel, Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, shows how Elphaba traits of a monster are similar to a typical monster that portrays in people's eye. Elphaba is an ideal model of what we see in a monster would be like: abnormal, scary looking, and blunt behavior. She is a target of gossip to those who do not even know …show more content…

She could also go to the extreme trying to save animal civil rights because of what she believes in, even if it means to have no one to support her. She was coldly rejected when she tried to ask the Wizard for assistance, but ended revolting against him to save the remaining animals that were tortured and brutally killed. As you can tell, the image of the Wizard of Oz is not so welcoming compared to Maguire’s novel versus Buam's novel. Elphaba plays a very extraordinary female role compared to a traditional female role Galinda (as known as Glinda). Glinda was mean, conceited, rude, sociable, pretty and popular woman in college, compared to Elphaba was ugly, an outcast, and unsociable with the students. Elphaba was able to attend school and later be friends with Glinda and Boq, usually Wicked Witch does not have many friends, and tends to be living in loneliness and dreadful life. Glinda attempts to make Elphaba and not be an outcast, but as a lovable Wicked Witch. It failed because of her blunt behavior and personality. Even though Glinda was mean and conceited in a way, she surpassed it with her beauty and social skills, while Elphaba was always criticized and look down at from the students. Glinda said, “Please, it is Galinda” and mocked her professor, Dr. Dillamond, “She could not bring herself to call him sir. Not with that horrid goatee and the tatty waistcoat that looked but from some public house carpet” (Maguire 66). In contrast

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