80 Beautiful Quotes from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Inspirationfeed (2024)

Last Updated on September 6, 2024

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Most of today’s modern fantasy stories are a call-back to what we now consider all-time classics—movies, children’s stories, and novels that were written decades and even centuries ago but have stood the test of time.

From movies and TV series inspired by mythology (Wonder Woman, Xena: Warrior Princess) to multi-volume novels that create their own magical fantasy world based on ancient stories (A Song of Ice and Fire, The Chronicles of Narnia), the influence of classical literature continues to be relevant. In fact, much of contemporary literature is inspired by classics, with Shakespeare among the top names in this regard.

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Another one of the more iconic stories of yore has brought about countless renditions, adaptations, and spinoffs: the story of little Dorothy as she walks toward Emerald City with her unlikely friends and all the things they discover about themselves along the way.

You might have come across the story in its original or republished children’s book form, which was originally written by the author L. Frank Baum, or perhaps you encountered it through its highly successful 1939 adaptation by director Victor Fleming as a young child. Indeed, The Wizard of Oz is a classic tale that is loved by many, young and old alike.

A Charming Take on the Land of Fantasies

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The Wizard of Oz has many sobering life lessons, but it continues to inspire a lot of storytellers as they craft their own interpretations of their fantasies.

Dorothy’s adventure with the Scarecrow who wishes to have a brain, the Tin Woodman who thinks a heart is what he needs, and the Faint-hearted Lion who wishes for more courage was also inspired by various fantasy stories that came before it. These stories include works of famous classical authors such as Hans Christian Andersen and Brothers Grimm.

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At its core, The Wizard of Oz is a tale of growth: it focuses on the adventure of Dorothy and her group as they go through a journey both literally—through the yellow brick road toward Emerald City—and figuratively—as they inevitably grow as individuals and realize their own strengths throughout the journey.

This story of self-realization and motivation is something that would stay with impressionable young children who would go on remembering these life lessons that they might not necessarily understand at first but would come to appreciate later on in their lives.

With Age Comes Wisdom

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Stories such as The Wizard of Oz are called timeless classics for a reason, and the wisdom that they impart are as timeless as the stories themselves. That’s why it’s often enriching to go back to these stories and take another look at them every now and then.

Do you remember which iconic line the Tin Woodman said as he told Dorothy about what he would ask for from the Wizard of Oz? How about the Wizard’s witty quip when Dorothy asked if he was scared? Chances are, some of the lines from the book and movie would resonate even with today’s youth—and even those who consider themselves already full of wisdom.

Here are some of the most iconic lines from a classic story about courage, smarts, heart, and the comfort of home—The Wizard of Oz.

Timeless Wizard of Oz Quotes

  1. “There is no place like home.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t you think?” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “I shall take the heart. […] For brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid…” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him; but he knew the little girl was unhappy, and that made him unhappy too.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You people with hearts,’ he said once, ‘have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “For I consider brains far superior to money in every way. You may have noticed that if one has money without brains, he cannot use it to his advantage; but if one has brains without money, they will enable him to live comfortably to the end of his days.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “During the year I stood there I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If you only have brains on your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not kept the promise he made her, but he had done his best. So she forgave him. As he said, he was a good man, even if he was a bad Wizard.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything. ‘You people with hearts,’ he said, ‘have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful.’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “I am content in knowing I am as brave as any best that ever lived, if not braver.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Why, anybody can have a brain. That’s a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the Earth or slinks through slimy seas has a brain. Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning, where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than you have. But they have one thing you haven’t got: a diploma.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “The Scarecrow watched the Woodman while he worked and said to him ‘I cannot think why this wall is here nor what it is made of.’ ‘Rest you brains and do not worry about the wall,’ replied the Woodman, ‘when we have climbed over it we shall know what is on the other side.’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “’I shall take the heart,’ returned the Tin Woodsman; ‘for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “…and the next moment all of them were filled with wonder. For they saw, standing in just the spot the screen had hidden, a little old man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face, who seemed to be as much surprised as they were.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It was a terrible thing to undergo, but during the year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “No matter how dreary and grey our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “…and as they walked along he sang ‘Tol-de-ri-de-oh!” at every step, he felt so gay.’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “’Oh, dear! Oh, dear!’ cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. ‘The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “But once I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “’From the Land of Oz,’ said Dorothy, gravely. ‘And here is Toto, too. And oh, Aunt Em! I’m so glad to be at home again!’” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “The Witch was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy’s room at night to take the shoes, and her dread of water was greater than her fear of the dark.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It was a good fight, friend.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Dorothy did not feel nearly so bad as you might think a little girl who had been so suddenly whisked away from her own country and set down in the middle of a strange land.” – Frank. Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “’No, indeed. I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,’ he answered sadly.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It is useless to fight people with shooting heads; no one can withstand them.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Neither. He’s a—a—a meat dog.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “He was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If you only had brain in your head you would be as good as man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.” – Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz
  1. “Brains are the only things worth having in this world.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It was a terrible thing to do undergo, but during the year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart.” – Frank Baum, The Wizard Of Oz
  1. “She clapped the heels of her shoes together three times, saying: “Take me home to Aunt Em!” Instantly.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” – L Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “I have always thought myself very big and terrible; yet such small things as flowers came near to killing me, and such small animals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is!” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “There, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “He swung his arm and chopped the wolf’s head from its body, so that it immediately died.” – L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Toto did not like this addition to the party at first.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great forest, where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers did not stop, and went on into the forest.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she can.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart. You don’t know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “You are under the unfortunate impression that just because you run away you have no courage; you’re confusing courage with wisdom.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesn’t matter, for I can’t feel it. But I do not want people to call me a fool…” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What have they got that I ain’t got?” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Frightened? Child, you’re talking to a man who’s laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe…I was petrified.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “I am content in knowing I am as brave as any best that ever lived, if not braver.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “No one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If I run I may fall down and break myself.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “If we walk far enough, we shall sometime come to someplace.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Just try and stay out of my way. Just try! I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “As for you, my fine friend, you’re a victim of disorganized thinking. You are under the unfortunate delusion that simply because you run away from danger, you have no courage. You’re confusing courage with wisdom.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  1. “As Coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her, and she’s not only merely dead, she’s really most sincerely dead.” – Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
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Posted by:Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

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