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Situational Irony
Chapter 8: The Deadly Poppy Field
Explanation and Analysis:
Baum uses a writing style that makes the book suited to reading aloud, especially to children. His descriptions are vivid, the action of each short chapter is exciting, and Baum uses repetition on both the sentence and narrative level to help anchor readers' and listeners' attention. One passage that exemplifies all these features is in Chapter 8, when Dorothy lies down in the field of poppies:
Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odour is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers he sleeps on and on for ever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.
Baum starts this passage by speaking directly to the reader, acknowledging his own status as a storyteller. He gently brings the reader in on knowledge Dorothy does not have. His vague statement that the knowledge "is well known" allows him to explain the effect of poppies to unfamiliar readers without suggesting that these readers are ignorant. By making sure the reader knows that the poppies are dangerous, Baum establishes dramatic irony that makes Dorothy's nap in the poppy field suspenseful and exciting. It is almost as though Baum is sitting before a crowd of children, entertaining them with the tale of Dorothy and her friends.
The vivid description of the poppies and Dorothy's reaction to them is additionally captivating. Baum uses images—scents, colors, the feeling of drooping eyelids—to help the reader imagine what Dorothy is experiencing. The reader knows the poppies are dangerous but can also see how Dorothy is drawn in by their soporific effect. In fact, Baum repeats different versions of the word "sleep" throughout the passage to create a hypnotic effect and to emphasize how intense Dorothy's urge is to take a nap.
Baum's style is rooted in fairy tales as well as the conventions of children's literature. His repetition not only of words but of certain events, such as the use of the Golden Cap to call the Winged Monkeys, is very fairy tale-like. For example, in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Goldilocks tries all three versions of the bears' porridge, then all three versions of their chairs, then all three versions of their beds. This repetition helps structure the fairy tale and provides a predictable rhythm. Baum draws on this same convention in his children's book to help young readers follow along and understand the morals of the story.
