All the four traveling companion of Dorothy in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz believed they don’t have something which they can only get from the Wizard. The Cowardly Lion wants brain, the Tin Woodman wants to be given a heart, and lastly, the scarecrow wants a brain. When Oz is reluctant to grant them their wishes after killing the wicked witch of the west, the four friends become angry and refuse to listen. They are only satisfied when Oz provides to them with a representation of what each asked of. While going away from Land of Oz, they finally notice they possess the qualities they asked from Oz. The scarecrow regularly gives smart solution whenever the travelers are faced with any challenge.  Although he regularly tells Dorothy he has no brains; it is clear his ideas are as a result of reasoning. The scarecrow easily notices his mistakes and learns from them. For example, he’s able to learn something from his mistake of falling its potholes. The scarecrow intelligence makes Oz leave Emerald city under his care when he was leaving. The Tin Woodman possess a dangerous degree of sympathy and empathy although he always complains he lacks a heart. The main scarecrow problem is learning to control his emotions so that they don’t limit him. He is so emotional that he cries when he sees a dead beetle. The Coward Lion hates himself for being a coward. He believes he lacks something other lions have. He later identifies with bravely unconsciously, a major quality in his species. Dorothy’s issue is no back to her home t as easy as that of her friends.  Her case is a bit complicated as she wants to move from Emerald to Kansas. Besides no one has noticed her Silver shoes, which she had for so long have magical powers to help her get home. The silver shoes fit Dorothy so well that one can think they are actually hers.

Heroes and heroines in some folk take and myths undertake risky journeys for a particular purpose. These journeys give the characters a chance to develop resilience. It is through this journey we get able to identify the strength and weaknesses of the characters. Dorothy finds herself in a strange land and has to find her way back home. The wonderful wizard of Oz story suggests that it is the journey that matters and not the arrival. To Dorothy and her friends, the arrival is equally important. Her resourceful nature ensures she finds someone to explain to her how to go back to Kansas. The journey to Emerald and from emerald to the witch of the castle of Glinda shapes the four friends character. The journey also helps analyze the character of the four and realize Dorothy is different from the three of them. Dorothy as the main character is honored as she receives the knowledge to use her silver shoes to go back to Kansa from the powerful and good witch of the south.

Dorothy’s desire to get home is a theme that majorly runs throughout in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel. Emerald city is beautiful, but Dorothy still misses her uncle’s place at Kansas. It is clear from Baum’s view that Kansas is not as beautiful as Emerald. Although the author does not portray Uncle Henry and Aunt Em lovable at the begging of the story, Dorothy loves them and wants to go back to them. It gets to the point that the little girl cries when told to stay in the munchkins land as the road to emerald is not safe. The guardians show little empathy to the girl and its only Toto who brings happiness to her life. The scarecrow is even surprised why Dorothy wanted to leave the beautiful Land of Oz for a dry Kansas. Dorothy makes it clear that she rather live in the dry land than any other place because it is her home. What worries Dorothy more is the welfare of her aunt and not the familiarity of home. She is sure that her aunt worried by her absence.  The importance of a home is the security and love it provides to a child. Being away from home provides Dorothy with an opportunity to explore, mature, her place in the universe and return home when she is mature.