Poppies in the field

[Cho]

I was reading a review on epinions.com of this book and found this quote.

" It actually isn’t hard to believe that adult situations are hidden within The Wizard of Oz ; we all remember when we realized the deeper meaning for the poppies in the field to Emerald City. "

My question is... what is that deeper meaning of the poppies in the field? Is that mentioned in the book as well (I haven't read it yet..)?

[stars in the sky]

I don't think they're mentioned in the book, but poppies contain opiates, I believe. Don't hold me to that; I'm only knowledgeable about drugs as they relate to Rent But yeah, I think that's what the person meant. If you've ever seen the Wiz (or at least the stage version my school did a couple of years ago), the Lion gets really happy in a field of seductive dancing poppy-girls.

[Cate]

stars said:

I don't think they're mentioned in the book, but poppies contain opiates, I believe. Don't hold me to that; I'm only knowledgeable about drugs as they relate to Rent But yeah, I think that's what the person meant. If you've ever seen the Wiz (or at least the stage version my school did a couple of years ago), the Lion gets really happy in a field of seductive dancing poppy-girls.

Poppies are grown for three reasons: Food, Decoration, and Opium. Now, Opium itself is a narcotic drug but through a chemical process it can be made into Morphine and then Heroin.

Go watch the scene in the original movie again.

[StageFiyero]

Although that's all true, L. Frank Baum actually never intended it to be like that at all... they were just magic poppies.

[Cate]

StageFiyero said:

Although that's all true, L. Frank Baum actually never intended it to be like that at all... they were just magic poppies.

It's just one of those things that happen and people apply undertones to. Like Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street.

[Twisted]

Ah...gotta love Bert and Ernie though.

But yes, poppies contain opiate, and they were mentioned in the original L. Frank Baum book, they just weren't magicked by the witch (that I can remember...)

[stars in the sky]

He probably didn't mean for the poppies to be a drug reference; the real-life flower just has properties that worked in his fantasy context.

You know, "Poppies in the Field" would be a great name for a band...

[Cho]

thanks for the answers everyone!! ;D

~Cho <><

[Cate]

Cho said:

thanks for the answers everyone!! ;D

~Cho <><

No problem. You have questions, we've got answers.

I actually researched the use of Poppies in the Heroin making process for a fic I'm writing.

[Cho]

Cate said:

No problem. You have questions, we've got answers.

I actually researched the use of Poppies in the Heroin making process for a fic I'm writing.

hehee.. funny... i just made another thread asking another question.. haha.

that's cool about the fanfic i like writing and want to try my hand at fanfiction myself.

~Cho <><

[mongoosey]

You should, because I recommend China White. Apparently the Chinese are very skilled at making opium, and, as Cate summarized, heroin, with the help of many, many poppies. My uncle was actually a heroin dealer (as many of my dad's friends were), and they used to go up to China to check shipments.

Even poppyseed muffins are said to offset drug tests.

I can see the online posts: BAUM: Author or Druggie?
Which could be laughable. Or not.
Considering other deceased famous writers and their drinking and/or drug problems. Not to mention strong evidence that the Alice in Wonderland creator, Lewis Carroll, was a pedophile and in love with a certain girl named Alice. The reason behind the book, if you may.

So...assumed undertones? Because the author is dead, it's a matter of opinion.

And/or research.

[StageFiyero]

Not to be off topic, but that's not why the Alice books were made. Alice was a little girl with (I believe) two sisters who Lewis Carroll entertained with his stories, using people like their pompous nurse to play roles, disguised as characters like the Red Queen. When little Alice got sick, he wrote the stories down for her in the infamous books. As in Oz, the drug references were coincidences that got out of hand.

[mongoosey]

Oh, of course not.
The Alice in Wonderland books were not made because of his supposed sexual inclination towards little girls. But it is a suggestion of mine that he chose Alice, over her two sisters, because he was more fascinated with her.

However, in the foreword to the Signet Classic revival 2000 printing of the book, it is noted that the author writing the introduction, Martin Gardner, implies the author's fascination with young girls (which is very persuading to me): "Morton Cohen speculates that Carroll may actually have approached Mr. and Mrs. Liddell with a suggestion that he wished to marry Alice someday. At any rate, Mrs. Liddell suddenly decided that Carroll should stop seeing Alice and she burned all his letters to her...among Carroll's superb photographs of famous persons and young children were hundreds of pictures of unclad little girls."

At any rate, he did pick Alice over her two sisters, and that's something to consider.

And to stay on topic: Agreed. I don't think that Baum intended for the poppies to be regarded as drugs, but then again, books are rather open to interpretation. To each his/her own.

[galindafiedgirl215]

Personally, the whole idea about poppies is over thinking it and taking a good innocent book and turning it into something it isnt. But thats just my opinion. Take it for what you willl! lol

[ElphieatShiz]

I agree about the overthinking. My favorite books have that and I just want to enjoy the books and not think that there is some immoral meaning behind them. (e.g. Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland.)