Okay so last night I was rewatching The Wizard of Oz for like the millionth time – it’s my comfort movie, you know? Anyway, I always zone in on that moment when the Wicked Witch of the West sees Dorothy wearing those sparkling ruby slippers right after her sister melts. Man, her face! That pure, undiluted rage mixed with serious want. She’s just laser-focused on those shoes. And suddenly I’m lying there eating popcorn thinking: “Why is she SO obsessed? What’s the real deal with these slippers?”
So, obviously, I couldn’t sleep. Had to dig. Rolled out of bed, grabbed my laptop, spilled some crumbs on the keyboard – typical Tuesday night. Started simple: just Googled “ruby slippers wizard of oz book” because I vaguely remembered the movie cut out a bunch of stuff. Turns out, yup, the book is totally different! L. Frank Baum wrote it way back when. Got my hands on an ebook version quick.
Began reading… and wow, the book slippers aren’t even ruby! They’re silver. Mind blown. Movie changed it for the Technicolor pop, makes sense. But the why the Witch wants them? That got clearer. See, in the book, Glinda straight up tells Dorothy:
- The slippers have actual magic powers. Proper enchantments on them.
- Anyone wearing them can’t be hurt or killed. Like, at all. Bulletproof shoes, basically.
- They also let the wearer go anywhere in three steps. Poof! Insta-travel.
Okay, so think about it. This Witch? She’s powerful, yeah, but she’s got enemies. Glinda, the Wizard, probably Munchkins throwing shade. And she’s just lost her sister. Power vacuum central! She needs every edge. Getting those slippers? It’s not greed for shiny shoes – it’s a survival play. Total power move. If she gets them, she becomes almost impossible to challenge. Makes her rage in the movie make total sense – it’s pure desperation!
Then I went even deeper. Found some analysis sites talking about the book lore. Here’s the kicker: the slippers were originally hers. Or her sister’s. Some old magic stuff, passed down maybe. When Dorothy landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, she got squished, and the shoes transferred ownership. So the West Witch isn’t just coveting powerful magic shoes… she feels robbed. It’s personal! It’s about taking back what she saw as rightfully hers.
Honestly, this rabbit hole took me way past midnight. You start with “wow she’s obsessed” and end up realizing it’s all about power, survival, and legacy. Losing her sister destabilized everything. Those slippers? They weren’t just shoes; they were her shield and her claim to the throne. Everything clicked. Felt like cracking a code. Shut the laptop, finally understood that crazy green lady’s hustle. It was never just about the sparkle.
