What Do The Ruby Slippers Do

The Ruby Slippers: More Than Just a Pretty Pair of Shoes

The ruby slippers. The very name conjures images of a young girl's journey through a vibrant, fantastical land, a desperate battle against a wicked witch, and the ultimate power to return home. But beyond the shimmering glamour and iconic status, what do the ruby slippers actually do? The answer, as with much of The Wizard of Oz, is layered and open to interpretation, going far beyond simply "clicking your heels three times."

This exploration will delve into the slippers' multifaceted nature, examining their powers as portrayed in the book and film, exploring the symbolic weight they carry, and ultimately unraveling the enduring mystery surrounding these magical shoes. We'll consider everything from transportation and protection to empowerment and the representation of "home."

From Silver to Ruby: A Tale of Two Slippers

Before diving into the specifics of the slippers' powers, it's crucial to acknowledge the significant difference between L. Frank Baum's original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), and the beloved 1939 film adaptation. In the book, Dorothy's shoes are not ruby, but silver. This seemingly minor change profoundly impacts the slippers' meaning and the interpretation of their abilities.

In Baum's story, the silver shoes possess the power to transport the wearer anywhere they wish, simply by clicking the heels together three times. This is explicitly stated in the text, removing any ambiguity. The silver shoes also serve as protection for Dorothy, warding off harm during her journey.

However, the film adaptation, driven by the visual impact of Technicolor, opted for the now-iconic ruby slippers. This change, while primarily aesthetic, opens the door to a more nuanced and metaphorical understanding of their powers. While the film retains the three-clicks-to-return-home functionality, it leaves much else to the imagination.

Powers and Abilities: A Close Examination

Let's dissect the known and inferred powers of the ruby slippers, drawing from both the book and film versions:

1. Transportation:

• Book (Silver Shoes): Unquestionably, the primary function is instant transportation. Dorothy uses them to travel back to Kansas at the end of the story, explicitly following the instructions of clicking her heels three times and commanding the shoes to take her home. The book leaves no room for doubt: they are a magical teleportation device.
• Film (Ruby Slippers): The film also presents this ability, though with less clarity. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, instructs Dorothy to click her heels three times and repeat, "There's no place like home." While the film visually shows Dorothy transported back to Kansas, the specific mechanics of the slippers' power remain somewhat vague. It is implied that belief and desire play a crucial role alongside the physical act of clicking.

2. Protection:

• Book (Silver Shoes): The silver shoes offer a degree of protection to Dorothy throughout her journey. While they don't make her invulnerable, they seem to ward off certain dangers and prevent her from being harmed by some magical entities. The exact nature of this protection is never fully explained but is a recurring element.
• Film (Ruby Slippers): The film reinforces this protective aspect. The Wicked Witch of the West desperately desires the slippers, knowing they hold power beyond simple transportation. Her inability to remove them from Dorothy (except temporarily when one falls off) suggests a built-in defense mechanism, possibly linked to Dorothy's inherent goodness or the magic imbued within the shoes. They are essentially untouchable by evil forces while worn by someone pure of heart.

3. Empowerment and Confidence:

• Book (Silver Shoes): While less explicit, the silver shoes subtly contribute to Dorothy's sense of self-assurance. Knowing she possesses a means of returning home empowers her to face the challenges of Oz with greater courage. The shoes are a constant reminder of her agency and her ultimate goal.
• Film (Ruby Slippers): This aspect is significantly amplified in the film. The ruby slippers become a symbol of Dorothy's inner strength and resilience. They are not merely a tool for transportation but a tangible representation of her ability to overcome adversity. As she wears them, Dorothy evolves from a frightened girl into a determined young woman, capable of confronting and ultimately defeating the Wicked Witch. The shoes reflect and amplify her inherent goodness.

4. Wish Fulfillment:

• Book (Silver Shoes): It can be argued that the transportation ability of the silver shoes is a form of wish fulfillment. Dorothy wishes to return home, and the shoes grant that wish. However, the book doesn't explicitly frame it as a general wish-granting power. The function appears limited to travel.
• Film (Ruby Slippers): The film subtly hints at a broader potential for wish fulfillment. Glinda's instructions to Dorothy – focusing on the power of belief and the repetition of "There's no place like home" – suggest that the slippers respond to Dorothy's deepest desires. This interpretation allows for a more symbolic reading, where the slippers represent the power of believing in oneself and the importance of cherishing what one already has.

5. Symbolic Power:

Beyond their practical abilities, the ruby slippers hold immense symbolic weight:

• Home: The most prominent symbol is that of home. The slippers are the key to Dorothy's return to Kansas, representing the comfort, security, and familiarity she craves. They underscore the film's central message: "There's no place like home."
• Innocence: The slippers can be interpreted as a symbol of innocence and purity. The Wicked Witch's inability to possess them fully suggests that they are protected by Dorothy's inherent goodness. They represent the untainted spirit that evil cannot corrupt.
• Power Within: Perhaps the most profound interpretation is that the slippers symbolize the power within oneself. Glinda's final words to Dorothy – "You've had the power all along, my dear" – reinforce this idea. The slippers were merely a catalyst, helping Dorothy realize her own strength and ability to shape her destiny. They are a reminder that we all possess the resources we need to overcome challenges and achieve our goals.
• Female Empowerment: Given the context of the film's release and the historical portrayal of women, the Ruby Slippers have also been argued as an early symbol of female empowerment. They granted Dorothy, a young girl, agency and power in a world filled with formidable and often malevolent forces. The slippers allowed her to navigate this world, make choices, and ultimately, determine her own fate.

The Science (or Lack Thereof) Behind the Magic

While the ruby slippers are undeniably magical, exploring the possibility of a scientific explanation, however far-fetched, can be an interesting exercise. Here are some theoretical, albeit highly speculative, ideas:

• Quantum Entanglement: Could the slippers be entangled with a specific location (Dorothy's home)? Quantum entanglement suggests that two particles can be linked in such a way that they share the same fate, no matter how far apart they are. Perhaps the slippers are linked to Kansas at a quantum level, allowing for instantaneous transportation.
• Dimensional Folding: Perhaps the slippers possess the ability to manipulate spacetime, creating a shortcut or "fold" in the fabric of reality. This would allow Dorothy to bypass vast distances and travel instantaneously to her desired destination.
• Psionic Amplification: Could the slippers amplify Dorothy's own latent psionic abilities? Perhaps everyone possesses a certain degree of psychic potential, and the slippers act as a focusing lens, allowing Dorothy to consciously control her environment and teleport herself.
• Hyperspace Navigation: Perhaps the slippers grant access to a higher-dimensional space, a hyperspace, where distances are shorter. By entering this hyperspace, Dorothy could travel vast distances in a fraction of the time it would take in our three-dimensional world.

Of course, these are all highly speculative and based on current scientific understanding. The ruby slippers are, at their core, a product of imagination and fantasy. The beauty of their magic lies in its inexplicable nature.

The Enduring Mystery and Open Interpretation

The power of the ruby slippers lies not just in what they do, but in what they represent. The film intentionally leaves much to the imagination, allowing viewers to project their own hopes, dreams, and fears onto these iconic shoes.

Are they a simple teleportation device? A symbol of inner strength? A reminder of the importance of home? The answer, ultimately, is all of the above, and more. The ruby slippers are a multifaceted symbol that resonates with audiences on many levels.

The ambiguity surrounding their powers encourages ongoing discussion and debate. It invites us to consider the nature of magic, the power of belief, and the enduring human desire to find our way home.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Did Dorothy know the power of the slippers all along? The film suggests she didn't. Glinda reveals the slippers' power to Dorothy only after the Wicked Witch is defeated. This reinforces the idea that Dorothy had the inner strength to overcome her challenges, and the slippers merely provided the means to return home.
• Why didn't Glinda just tell Dorothy about the slippers at the beginning? This is a common question. Some argue that Dorothy needed to experience her journey, learn valuable lessons, and discover her own strength before she could truly appreciate the power of the slippers and the meaning of "home." Others suggest that Glinda couldn't directly interfere with events in Oz, but could only offer guidance.
• What happened to the ruby slippers after Dorothy returned to Kansas? The film never explicitly states what happens to the slippers. They simply disappear after Dorothy clicks her heels. This adds to the mystery and reinforces the idea that the slippers were a temporary tool, serving their purpose and then vanishing.
• Are the ruby slippers the same in the book and the film? No. In the book, they are silver and their power is explicitly defined as transportation. In the film, they are ruby, and their power is more nuanced and open to interpretation.
• Why are the ruby slippers so valuable? Their iconic status, historical significance, and association with a beloved film make them incredibly valuable. The surviving pairs of ruby slippers are considered priceless artifacts of cinematic history.

Conclusion: The Magic of Interpretation

The ruby slippers are far more than just a pair of shoes. They are a powerful symbol of hope, home, inner strength, and the magic that resides within us all. Their ability to transport Dorothy back to Kansas is just one facet of their multifaceted nature. The enduring mystery surrounding their powers allows for endless interpretation, ensuring that these iconic shoes will continue to captivate and inspire audiences for generations to come. Whether you see them as a simple means of transportation or a profound metaphor for self-discovery, the ruby slippers remain a timeless symbol of the power of belief and the enduring search for "home." They remind us that sometimes, the greatest magic lies not in what we possess, but in what we believe we are capable of. The real magic, as the film subtly suggests, was within Dorothy all along, and the slippers merely helped her realize it.