Wicked
a 51-year-old mom of a preschooler's mumbles
{Go see it. I’ll wait.}
As a most fantastical update to an old story, Wicked isn’t just eye candy (and whoa nelly), it has a lot to say. The Wizard of Oz reminded us everyone has hearts, brains and courage — Wicked gives us dimension. Think Inside Out 2.
{Spoilers start here}
Glinda (or Gah-Linda) acts gleeful when the town celebrates Wicked Witch’s death, but shows a pinch of discomfort when setting her totem aflame. Glinda she knows the whole story.
I recently heard of a social worker’s tenet: “All behavior makes sense with enough information.”
So it was with Elphaba, green poster child for daddy issues + noticeable skin tone.
Certainly Wicked has a lot to say about race. And as a white woman, I know it’s not good. Like literally, I get embarassingly teary eyed when I see a black woman anymore. They shouldn’t have to always make our society better, but they do, and I feel guilty over that.
Wicked also points out skin color absurdities. Gotta love the one-liner said by an extra (who must’ve loved it): “But I don’t see skin color!” Same for disabilities. I’d be interested in what the community thinks about it’s commentary there. Also, I wasn’t clear on what it was saying about sex or gender roles (anyone?)
Interestingly, it’s probably one of the few movies that says we humans have a moral obligation to animals. To protect them. Respect them. Listen to them. And speak for them. But that we fail to do it, time and again.
But Wicked shows the good, too. Was I the only one who cried during the scene where Glinda finally grows a pair?*🥺
Speaking of Glinda… When is Part 2 happening? It feels like right now. I wonder what the white woman will do.
I highly recommend reading the books, which are four at least, if I recall, in the Wicked series by Gregory Macquire. There’s much more to the duo of Glinda and Elphaba, and more to their friendship and partnership.
Part II is also not the end of the saga..I c didn’t finish the series so I don’t know the end: the popularized version in song is like but also unlike the novels. The Wicked Witches evil-ness should be suspect, as all things in Oz. We have the 1900s, 1930s version by Frank Baum which was full of political commentary, actually, and we also have Wicked…they’re not the same.
Glinda knows the truth of all of it, the question is also, and always, if good people rise above and affirm what’s good and needs help or make a pact with what is truly wicked, collaborating or appeasing or becoming complicit…
Think about it, how does a rebel against injustice become the one who is deemed to be Wicked?
There’s much more to the green witch’s story, and the deep allegory of the imperfect Baum and what Gregory Macquire is trying to say in our day, from the 1995 book and series. The first two books of Wicked are brilliant and speak to us today…