Character With a Mental Illness From the Movie the Wizard of Oz 1939 Essay

Borderline Personality Disorder in Oz

Dorothy, the heroine of The Wizard of Oz is oftentimes viewed as an innocent victim manipulated by those around her. However, that view ignores the very real role that Dorothy played in bringing about the negative events in the movie. From allowing her dog, Toto, to run free and bite a neighbor, to running away from her aunt and uncle when they tell her that she will have to give up Toto since he has bitten someone, she engages in behavior that is both irresponsible and impulsive. Impulsive behavior and irrational behavior are only two of the character traits of borderline personality disorder that Dorothy appears to have, bringing into question whether she is an appropriate heroine.

Some of the most common symptoms of borderline personality disorder include: intense emotions and mood swings; harmful, impulsive behaviors; relationship problems; low self-worth; a fear of being abandoned; aggressive behavior; feeling empty inside; self-harm; and a loss of one's sense of reality (WebMd, 2011). Dorothy exhibits most of those symptoms. Dorothy has intense feelings and emotions, longing to be free from her life in Kansas in a mournful song that is suggestive of depression. When confronted by her neighbor about a dog fight, instead of being contrite and apologetic, she is aggressive towards the woman, even seeming to threaten physical violence, and unwilling to take responsibility for failing to properly supervise her pet. She is prevented from acting violent by her aunt and uncle.She also engages in impulsive behaviors. She runs away from home and to a carnival, where she plans to run away with an older man whom she has not previously met before, something that is very dangerous. Moreover, while Dorothy's youth may explain some of her irrational and impulsive behavior, she is a young adult at the time of the movie, not a child. This puts Dorothy at risk of violence, which she actually experiences during the movie. This should come as no surprise, given that adults with borderline personality disorder are at an increased risk of violence when compared to the general population (NIMH, 2013)l

Furthermore, people with borderline personality disorder are in a unique position among those with mental illnesses. They often are aware of destructive behavior, but feel as if they are unable to change that behavior (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012). Dorothy seems to realize that the Wicked Witch of the….....