Can anyone help explain Sharon Olds poem “Culture and Religion”?
Sharon Olds is mixing up what we normally think of as religious imagery with the imagery from The Wizard of Oz. She is suggesting that for most people the story of the Crucifixion is no more real than the story of Dorothy, Toto and her three friends. Many modern Americans have a generalised feel that The Wizard of Oz tells an improving tale (because it has a morality they can agree with) and that the story of the Passion is also an improving tale (they don’t think about its historical reality). Olds doesn’t really have a position on this (at least, not in this poem). She points out that most American adults see the Wizard of Oz as a story with a strong moral lesson, and also see the Crucifixion as a story with a strong moral lesson. Both are basically entertainment. People go to see Mel Brooks’ The Passion of the Christ mainly because it is a good film, they enjoy their night out. The same people will probably watch Die Hard with a Vengeance for similar reasons, and enjoy themselves ju
