The story begins with Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto. They live on a Kansas farm belonging to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. One day, Toto gets into trouble with their neighbor Miss Almira Gulch. The grown ups either don't understand or can't seem to protect Dorothy and Toto from Miss Gulch who tries and almost succeeds in taking the dog away. Traumatized, Dorothy imagines a better, more just world and sings "Somewhere, Over the Rainbow."
This version of the story is slightly longer and framed deliberately for the experienced caregiver with minimal support. Try the other versions of this story framed for the junior or novice caregivers with fewer scenes from the film but additional material to support the practice of sharing Meema Stories.
Keep in mind as you follow the short story to look for things you want to talk about. It's useful to think about things you notice in the story, how it makes you feel, and any thoughts or memories that might come to mind. The Wizard of Oz is rich with characters and themes for discussion. But considering the following ideas for conversation, it's important to realize that not all of these topics will be equally engaging for everyone.
You might start by talking about things you noticed in the story itself. For example, did you notice their clothing? What about the buildings and equipment they're using on the farm? Do they seem happy? Are they attentive to Dorothy and her dog, Toto? What about the color of the film shown here? Do you remember what happens to the color when they get to Oz?
What else did you notice? Did you notice that Dorothy is a young girl?
You can also talk about how the story makes you feel. Maybe it makes you feel uneasy. Or anxious. Or afraid. Can you empathize with Dorothy? What would it be like to live on a farm without parents or siblings or friends your own age? Does her loneliness make you sad too? How does it feel when she hugs Toto? Or when Toto hears her sing her song and reaches out to her with a paw?
What personal memories does it bring to mind? Can you remember the first time you saw the picture? Was it on TV or in the theater? In color or black and white? Did you get dressed up to see it?
