Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Asking the Wizard For a Brain

Scarecrow: I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.


Funny, now, that the most intelligent character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is actually the one who wants a brain. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know that much. I don't remember exactly who said this, but they can sure say that again!

But his wanting a brain is even more touching than Tinman's wanting a heart.
Brains are so underrated, and yet so overrated. Thinking, you'd think, is extremely important. Right? No.
Who actually cares about brains? Why having them?

Brains do not bring you happiness:
"All the same," said the Scarecrow, "I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one."
"I shall take the heart," returned the Tin Woodman; "for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world."

It's quite the contrary, actually, Scarecrow: the more you think, the more miserable you become. Besides, the heart works on instinct, rather than on thought. Any fool knows what to do with a heart.

"It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh," said the Scarecrow thoughtfully, "for you must sleep, and eat and drink. However, you have brains, and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think properly."
It isn't, really - the biggest bother of all is to be able to think properly.

Brains make you overthink. Overanalyse, overworry, overestimate them.
When I was a child, I loved the fact that the Scarecrow valued brains above it all; but now that I actually have got a heart, am quite brave and have a home, I wonder whether he was happy afterwards. What will happen to him, once he finds out the burden of thinking? The discomfort and complexities that come with the territory?

Tinman was brave to ask for a heart. Scarecrow is deluded. And I don't blame him.

17 comments:

beanizer_05 said...

this is quite long--but worth reding til the end punctuation :)

If scarecrow would have a brain, then he must be thinking that thinking deepest would complicate him too..
But i still choose scarecrow..'coz if i have a heart--maybe i'll be happy..but then i'll be hurt too..right??..yet if i choose brain, i won't have values..
HUmans need both..am i human enough??
So do i need a heart or the brain??..what would you suggest Ma'am??heheeee

Rml said...

Hehe, sory for the long post!

Scarecrow and Tinman, throughout the book, have conversations like that: what is better, a heart or a brain? And Dorothy, always listening, could never come to a conclusion either! Thing is, she never had to, since she got their company up till the very end of her journey... she always had both.
I'm always for the heart (well, I've already got the brains! =P)

beanizer_05 said...

and you don't have the heart???..maybe that explains why you're rude to me sumtyms..hmmm...

YAM said...

agree with Bean..
that's kinda long. But worth it.

The more you know, the more you realize you don't know that much.
-love that one. But i also do not know who said it.

well, honestly, I am for brain.
Maybe that's why I over think things.
And ending up in regret.
(But i do believe I have a big heart):)

Rml said...

Hahahhahahah, I'm sorry for writing too much, guys!!!

@Bean: r u implying that I'm a heartless bitch?!... [sniff... sniff...]

@ambigous_angel: oh, we all know u've got a big heart, girl! =) That goes without saying!

beanizer_05 said...

@robi:
i read it wrong..i thought u wanted a heart..and it's not proper to call u a b**ch..you have a good heart, remembr i gave u an award 4 that??
heheeee..
and angel has a big heart..oh well, let's see..
hey robz! dnt think im rude..angel knows im nice:)

Rml said...

@bean: awwwww baby, I was jesting! I know u don't think I'm a b**ch. Tsc tsc tsc... this is just me, transforming your sanity into my personal playgroun, hehe!

beanizer_05 said...

hmp! transforming my sanity huh..oh! i forgot..i promised not to comment anymore..why am i here pa??..tsk. tsk.

Rml said...

@Bean: ha! As if u could stay away from me!

beanizer_05 said...

psycho! i can! u dare?

Rml said...

@Bean: hahahahahhaha, I don't dare anybody to do anything! It's enough for me to know for sure u can't!

beanizer_05 said...

hmp! so you think im weird huh..now go to my post..i have more weird stuffs for you..go!

Didz said...

Hey, I'm not sure if I'm off the topic or such, but did Scarecrow ever mention what kind of brain he wants?..because I'm kinda willing to give mine. I think it's about time I need a brain replacement...I so need a healthy non corrupted brain. Hehe...

I'll stay with Dorothy anyhow, undecided for which one is better. But I'd prefer to have both heart and brain. Never mind the sadness or happiness that I'm gonna have, it's the price and risk we have to face somehow :)

Ricademus said...

This is a great post! My favorite people are those who: 1. have an appreciation for how little they know compared to all there is to know; and 2. people thoughtful enough to examine their own lives and also be aware of what's going on around them.

Thank you for signing up to follow my posts--hopefully the next one I do will be better than the most recent one. That is not a good story, but people had asked about it....so I tried! =)

Rml said...

@Didz: hahahhaha, poor Scarecrow, he's gonna get a used, corrupted brain!!! But yeah, I agree with u: we gotta pay a price for everything, and I think that, despite everything, all the sadness is still so worth it all!

@RicAdeMus: thanks! =) But I totally loved ur last post, hehe!

beanizer_05 said...

oh..didz needs a brain replacemet..so she admitted she had corrupted brain..weeee!..if ever anyone got didz brain, im sure i'll find that lucky one..

Rml said...

@Bean: hahaha, maybe I'll be the lucky one! How about that?! ;)