Dorothy Must Die

The ability to make our own choices is one of the strongest powers we possess. When that ability is taken away, quality of life has the potential to plummet as the decisions we once took for granted become someone else’s to make. Dorothy Must Die explores the consequences of having choices taken away and the emotional impact of not being able to make our own choices through the Wingless Ones, Amy’s position among the rebellion, and the leaders of Oz.

The Wingless Ones are an example of what happens when choice is taken away. The monkeys’ natural wings are enchanted so they are susceptible to being controlled. While no explanation is given as to why, the cause of this susceptibility matters less than the result, which is monkeys being used by Dorothy and, before her, the witches. Between the witches and Dorothy, the monkeys experienced a period of freedom where no one used their wings to enslave them. When Dorothy rose to power and started enslaving monkeys again, many monkeys sliced off their wings to keep themselves free. Though the wings are a natural part of who they are, they realized that they were more than their wings and used their freedom of choice to choose not to be controlled.