Write Good or Die

her pack, and the four of them go off to see the wizard.
    All through this the Wicked Witch of the West, sister of the house-crushed Witch of the East, is after Dorothy and her ruby slippers. We never truly learn why (a storytelling shortfall explored later in novels and Broadway plays), but as a threat the Wicked Witch is constant and pervasive. She is enough of a threat that her presence, or the fear of how her anger might be manifested, influences the actions of every character in the story.
    Dorothy and company overcome all obstacles and finally make it to Oz, home of the Wizard. There they present their case and the Wizard agrees to help but throws them a plot twist. He’ll help only if Dorothy undertakes a quest to steal the broom of the Wicked Witch. Dorothy, however reluctant, agrees.
    This is huge. The Dorothy we met in Kansas not only could not have accepted this mission; she would not have. However the Dorothy who stands before the great and mighty Oz is a far more evolved person who has benefited from adventures and experiences that have revealed her own strengths, demonstrated the power of friendship and collaborative effort, and basically served as a boot camp for Hero Dorothy.
    As Dorothy and company step out of the Emerald City to begin this quest, they step out of Act Two and into…

    ACT THREE

    In Act III, Dorothy and her team covertly assault the stronghold of the Wicked Witch. They formulate a master plan and carry it through, albeit with some unforeseen complications (we love complications, catastrophes, challenges, calamities, and other C-words that make it more of an effort for the good guys to win).
    They sneak into the castle, and there is the long-anticipated showdown between Hero Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. We get a twist when the Witch catches fire and Dorothy, in a demonstration of compassion even to her enemies, tries to douse the flames with water. And this leads to one of those “Ooops!” moments that enrich a story: the water is fatal to the witch. (Leading one to wonder why she has a bucket of it to hand. Depression? Thoughts of suicide? We’ll never know.)
    With the Wicked Witch dead, Dorothy discovers that the Witch was also a tyrant and now the people of her land rejoice for freedom with a rousing chorus of ‘Ding Dong the Wicked Witch’ (which they sing in immediate harmony, suggesting that this is a long anticipated eventuality).
    Dorothy and her posse bring the broom back to the Emerald City and BIG TWIST: the wizard is a fraud. All smoke and mirrors. No real powers. Damn. Did not see that coming.
    However the Wizard has a heart of gold in his deceitful chest, and he hands out some baubles that symbolize the things Dorothy’s friends need: recognition of innate intelligence, acknowledgment of dedication, and a reward for valor. Nothing for Dorothy.
    The Wizard then attempts to take Dorothy home via hot air balloon, but that ends badly and the Wizard floats off to who knows where, alone. And, one wonders if that escape had been planned all along. Devious bastard.
    Finally the Good Witch shows up and in another BIG TWIST, tells Dorothy that she had the power to go home all along. The ruby slippers are apparently good for interdimensional travel.
    We see another element of Dorothy’s growth: restraint. She does NOT leap on the Good Witch and kick the crap out of her for not telling her this way the hell back in Oz. The Good Witch apparently recognized the need for a vision quest and played the ruby slipper card close to the vest.
    So, Dorothy bids farewell to her friends in Oz, clicks her ruby slippers and wakes up in Kansas where she is surrounded by her Aunt and Uncle and the farm workers, all of whom are ciphers for the characters she met in Oz. Or, perhaps, vice versa.
    Dorothy now recognizes the value of what she has and is properly grateful for it. Which allows us the change to step out of the story, since we now know that it’s safe for Dorothy to continue on her journey. We trust that she will do well because we’ve seen her growth, and we know the cost.
    If you look at the first Star Wars flicks, you can see an almost identical process in Luke’s journey from annoying dust farmer to someone who can blow up a Death Star.
    So, that’s the short and long of the Three Act Structure. You may not be able to watch Wizard of Oz the same way again; and if you’re a true writer, you’ll be forever plagued with trying to identify the act breaks in every book, TV