Munchkin Village

The Munchkin Village is the first settlement Dorothy encounters in the Land of Oz, a community of blue-clad, round-hatted people who have been liberated from the bondage of the Wicked Witch of the East by the accidental landing of Dorothy's cyclone-borne house. It is the initial point of contact between the Kansas girl and the strange, colorful world of Oz, establishing the fundamental geography, politics, and color symbolism of the eastern quadrant of the land.

Identity and Appearance

The Munchkin Village is located in the eastern part of the Land of Oz, a country of "marvelous beauty" with stately trees, luscious fruit, and gorgeous flowers. The Munchkins themselves are described as being about as tall as Dorothy, a well-grown child, though they appear many years older. Their distinctive costume includes round hats that rise to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkle sweetly as they move. The men wear blue hats and blue suits, with well-polished boots topped with a deep roll of blue. The houses of the Munchkins are odd-looking dwellings, each round with a big dome for a roof, and all are painted blue, for in this country of the East, blue is the favorite color. The village is surrounded by neat fences painted a dainty blue, and beyond them are fields of grain and vegetables in abundance, indicating that the Munchkins are good farmers.

Political Condition and Liberation

For many years, the Munchkins were held in bondage by the Wicked Witch of the East, who made them slave for her night and day. The Witch of the North explains that she herself is not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was, or she would have set the people free. The liberation comes when Dorothy's house, carried by the cyclone, falls directly on the Wicked Witch of the East, killing her instantly. The Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, give a loud shout and point to the corner of the house where the Witch's feet, shod in silver shoes, are still sticking out. The Witch of the North tells Dorothy that the Munchkins are grateful to her for the favor of setting them free. The celebration of this freedom is immediate and communal: toward evening, Dorothy comes to a house rather larger than the rest, where many men and women are dancing on the green lawn, with five little fiddlers playing as loudly as possible, while a big table is loaded with delicious fruits, nuts, pies, and cakes. This is the home of one of the richest Munchkins, Boq, and his friends are gathered with him to celebrate their freedom.

Key Encounters and Social Customs

Dorothy's first encounter with the Munchkins is through a delegation that includes three men and one woman, who approach her house with hesitation, whispering among themselves as if afraid. The little old woman, the Witch of the North, steps forward and addresses Dorothy as "most noble Sorceress," thanking her for killing the Wicked Witch. The Munchkins, kind-hearted, begin to weep when Dorothy sobs at the thought of being unable to return home. They immediately take out their handkerchiefs and weep also. Later, at Boq's house, Dorothy is invited to supper and to pass the night. Boq, seeing her silver shoes, declares she must be a great sorceress, noting that she wears silver shoes, has killed the Wicked Witch, and has white in her frock—only witches and sorceresses wear white. He explains that blue is the color of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color, so they know she is a friendly witch. The Munchkins have never seen a dog before, and a wee Munchkin baby plays with Toto, pulling his tail and crowing and laughing in a way that greatly amuses Dorothy.

Narrative and Thematic Significance

The Munchkin Village serves as the threshold between Dorothy's ordinary world in Kansas and the extraordinary Land of Oz. It is here that she learns the fundamental rules of Oz: that there are four witches, two good and two wicked; that the Land of Oz is cut off from the rest of the world and has never been civilized; and that the only way to return home is to seek the Great Oz in the Emerald City. The Witch of the North gives Dorothy the silver shoes of the dead Witch and the protective kiss on her forehead, and directs her to follow the road of yellow brick. The Munchkins, though they cannot help her return home, provide her with hospitality, food, and a night's rest, and their celebration of freedom underscores the theme of liberation from tyranny that runs through the book. The village also establishes the color-coded geography of Oz: blue for the East, a scheme that will be repeated with green for the Emerald City, yellow for the Winkie Country, and red for the Quadling Country. The Munchkins' belief that Dorothy is a sorceress, despite her protests that she is an ordinary girl, sets up the recurring motif of mistaken identity and the power of perception that culminates in the discovery that Oz himself is a humbug.