A Stamp of Wickedness
In order to be placed on a postage stamp, one should be compassionate, respectable, or, in other words, an all around remarkable person. If given the choice, I would place Elphaba Thropp, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West, on a stamp.Unfortunately, Elphaba is a very misunderstood individual. She never technically committed a wrong deed. Instead, she worked persistently to help those in bad conditions, especially for all the Animals of Oz. She even dedicated her time to work with Dr. Dillamond for relief causes (for Animals).
Not only was she concerned for the welfare of Animals, she also wanted to protect the lives of those around her. When Boq questioned her on the dangerous matters surrounding Dr. Dillamond’s death, she replied, “The less you know the better, and I mean for your sake. Whoever killed Dr. Dillamond doesn’t want his findings made public. What kind of friend would I be to you if I put you at risk too?” (Maguire 140).
Elphaba never deserved the nickname “Wicked Witch”. In fact, the two things that she continually searched for throughout the entire novel were forgiveness and proof of the soul. One who is wicked searches for neither of these things, let alone wishes for them as she so desperately did. Like when Liir asked her, “The Lion wants courage, the Tin Man a heart, and the Scarecrow brains. Dorothy wants to go home. What do you want?” She realized that “she couldn’t say forgiveness, not to Liir…and in the end what came out of her mouth surprised them both. She said, ‘A soul-’” (Maguire 386-387).
Regrettably, Elphaba was murdered. Her kindness and compassion had helped many lives, yet she could not escaped her fate. Through her work with Dr. Dillamond, she helped close the gap between civil rights of the various citizens of Oz. For all of these reasons, she should be remembered. For all of these reasons, we should remember her by placing her on a stamp.
