How did you react to the character of Leonardo Stregone, and in what ways did you see parallels between him and the wizard in the original Wizard of Oz book and movie? What are your thoughts on the rainmakers who traveled across the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl?
They both made themselves appear great and powerful but in the end actually had no magical powers at all.
I agree with Tracey, Leonardo and the wizard put on a great show but really had no magical powers.
I think the rainmakers were a big fraud giving people false hope.
Leonardo struck me as a man-child who just didn’t want to grow up. He acknowledges that he has Peter Pan syndrome. With regards to the rainmaking, he put on a show and then got out of town before it became obvious that his tricks weren’t going to work. Some people think that cloud seeding could lead to increased precipitation, but the results have been modest at best. Even if it works, people certainly didn’t know enough in the 1930s to have any hope of it working. The fact that Leonardo was an aerialist who used a hot air balloon was an echo of The Wizard of Oz.
I agree that Leonardo and the Wizard seemed to be the same type of person - just pretend and make-believe. I don’t think I’ve read about the rainmakers before, but they struck me as feeding on people’s troubles. They may have brought some hope, but it was false hope - would not have wanted to have one in my family.
He was honest when he said he was still a child! He definitely was a user and a fraud. Yes, he was the Wizard.
The rainmakers were just another form of fraud feeding on the desperation of the farmers.
There was a parallel between Leonardo and the Wizard in that both were pretending to be more than they really were. He claimed that he was giving people hope, but Leonardo was likely seeking attention and fame. I think he cared about Dorothy, but not enough to stop seeking an audience. The rainmakers during the Dust Bowl were taking advantage of people that were already suffering.
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Leonardo was a con man just like the wizard. When Dorothy pulled the curtain back in the Wizard of Oz, she saw an ordinary man, not some giant figure meant to save her. Rainmakers were con men who took advantage of desperate peole in a desperate time. If they had any real power, then why did he tell them they had to wait a few days for it to rain? The magic was how fast he disappeared!
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Leonardo was so much like the Wizard, trying to present himself as something he was not. I suppose the so-called rainmakers during the dust bowl times were taking advantage of everyone’s desperation and were stealing their money as a get rich quick scheme.
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They were both con men. They wanted to portray that they had great power, when in fact they didn’t. They were both charming, which made it easy to con people into believing them.
The rainmakers were all con men. People were so desperate for rain that they grasped on any hope they could.
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Both the wizard and Leonardo were con men. As I became more involved in the book, I kept wondering could if be possible that Stregone and the rainmaker were one of the same. Did other readers get the same feeling? And low and behold I was right, however, I still can’t believe the hold he had over Emily’s sister. Was she that unhappy that even a boy-like man was the answer? She certainly was not the strongest of the sisters. Hopefully, her traits and that of her father were not in present in Dorothy’s DNA and that Auntie E and Uncle Henry’s character traits will prevail.
As for my thoughts on the rainmakers, I often remember the stories my father and his family shared. Certainly not fond of them or traveling preachers! His family experienced the dusts and blizzards of Kansas in the 30’s. He often reflected on his tent show experiences, both for religious and entertainment. My father and other family members often referred to their moving to California as “getting the kinks out of their bellies”. Dad never would eat sweet potatoes and other root veggies commenting. . . I have eaten enough “roots” to last a lifetime.
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I found him to be a morally complex figure. He had that charisma and mysterious presence that echo the Wizard. They project power and mystery, yet behind the facade lies a vulnerable man and shaky choices. They both exaggerated their abilities.
Regarding the Dust Bowl rainmakers who unfortunately roamed the Great Plains: I found their efforts to be heartbreaking. The people were desperate and had faith and hope in whoever or whatever would aid them in times of crises. People taking advantage of others wherever an opportunity presents itself. No different than in today’s times.
I agree that Leonardo is to remind us of the Wizzard, both are frauds that have so many fooled. They are confident and provide a show. I knew about the rainmakers, but I never thought about it with Dust Bowl. Yikes, these farmers were so desperate and then con men come in to take advantage and provide a false hope. I felt so sad and angry.
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I thought he was a carpet bagger and scheming liar. But I wanted him to be able to actually bring rain. And I absolutely saw the connection with the Wizard of Oz.
I understand that many people were so desperate during those times of drought, and given the lack of more complex technology that is not even a guarantee today, that anyone promising to remediate is with clinging to.