For "Wicked," Gospel Coalition *Almost* Got It...
But they entirely missed the point that they ARE the oppressors
Hello! It’s been a few weeks since I felt sufficiently inspired to write a newsletter, but nothing will help move a musical theater wannabe across the finish line like… writing about WICKED!!
You’ve had plenty of time to see it in theaters by now, so hopefully no need to warn about spoiler alerts. The recent box office success, based on the live theater play based on the book Wicked based on characters from the Wizard of Oz, tells the story behind the supposed “Wicked Witch” (the one Dorothy’s house smashed) and why she wasn’t as evil as one would think. I love it. The storyline is brilliant; it speaks to timeless social issues of scapegoating, oppressive governments, and fascism; and the music!! 😍
The main character is Elphaba, a girl born with magical powers who is also green. The color of her skin makes her an outcast in her community, and the magic she hasn’t yet learned to control can frighten even her loved ones. She goes to Shiz University simply to watch over her younger, paraplegic sister, per her father’s request, but once the headmistress discovers her magical powers, she is asked to stay. It is here that she and Galinda (the “Good Witch”) meet and go from being mortal enemies to best friends.
While at school, we discover that animals, who in the land of Oz can speak and hold leadership positions, are being silenced and outcasted. Elphaba’s compassionate nature and firsthand experiences of oppression make her a person who stands up for the rights of the animals. She hopes that if they take this cause to the wizard, he will do something to protect the animals and restore justice to Oz. Of course… this turns out to be a fool’s errand, as the wizard only wants to appropriate Elphaba’s magic for his own purposes, while silencing and subjugating the animals (literal scapegoats).
The movie (part 1) ends where Act 1 of the play ends, with the iconic “Defying Gravity” song. The wizard is trying to capture Elphaba and instead of submitting to his authority, she chooses to pursue a life of abolitionism. She hopes to defend the oppressed, but this also puts a giant target on her back. She invites Glinda along, who instead opts for a life of security and privilege. Elphaba throws off societal constraints and chooses her own way, even though it means going it alone.
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap
My social media feeds have caught on to the fact I’m a little Wicked-obsessed, and I’ve seen some very interesting — and spot-on — takes about Wicked. Wicked, produced as a Broadway play in 2003, from the book written in 1995, from the Wizard of Oz in 1939, has timeless observations about the nature of humanity. We ostracize those who are different. We are usually too weak and afraid to stand up for what is right, preferring to keep ourselves safe at the expense of others. And of course, the original Wizard of Oz was written during the rise of fascism and totalitarianism in World War II. There was, shall we say, a lot of source material to inspire the writing. And it echoes so strongly today, seeing it in theaters in 2024 after America freely and fairly chose a man who wants to be a dictator for president.
Others pointed out the race dynamics: in the movie, Galinda is played by Ariana Grande but appears white and blonde, while Elphaba is played by Cynthia Erivo, a Black British actress (though of course in the show she is…green). Galinda adopts the name Glinda as a faux-solidarity move with the oppressed animals, but really to impress the boy she likes. She wants to play white savior to green Elphaba. And when the chips are down, she opts for comfort and security over doing what’s right.
As an exvangelical, though, one take I was particularly fascinated by was (and I never thought I’d say this?) the Gospel Coalition’s. Brett McCracken writes an article that I actually almost genuinely liked, except for the minor issue that his conclusion completely missed the point. But he spoke progressive language fluently, and without irony. (I could also speak conservative Christian fluently, but either ironically or with pain). He reports that he appreciated the film, its music, its artistry. However, he complains about what he calls “post-Christian morality” present in this film and many others turning the ideas of villains on their heads.
McCracken references aspects of the Defying Gravity song, which is something of a queer anthem (as he acknowledges!), and notes that people have used this as support for severing ties from non-affirming relationships, trusting one’s own self above institutions (especially religious institutions), and following what makes you happy. He, of course, disapproves of such usage, saying the song has a “campy ambiance of naughtiness and shameless transgression.” (Which…I strongly disagree, particularly in the context of the play!).
His primary complaint is that “in the end [Wicked’s] rejection of moral absolutes leaves audiences without real hope or clarity.” This is similar to lines I heard all throughout growing up. Do the Gospel Coalition and other evangelical actors think that people are too dumb to figure out right and wrong, good and evil, and must have it spelled out by the media they watch? Not really. They just want to be the only ones who can declare what that good and evil is.
The irony of it all is that — especially in Act 1 / Part 1, before we see any of the ways that Elphaba eventually turns wicked — there is an incredibly obvious moral clarity. In Wicked Part 1, Elphaba is one of the only characters with a moral center that guides her even through the hardest decisions.
Likewise, the evil in the story is clear. The Wizard of Oz is the villain. He is weak but learned to manipulate others for his own power. The munchkins and other Ozians are less evil, per se, but are complicit in evil.
The frustrating thing is that McCracken seems to get it but then refuses to see it. Here’s a quote:
Indeed, vice in the world of Wicked isn’t just embodied by powerful people who actively oppress; it’s also evident in those who don’t care enough that this is happening—the privileged who can eat, drink, and merrily dance while nefarious forces ruin the world. Silence is violence. In Wicked’s view of sin and culpability, some individuals are actually heinous and Hitler-esque; but entire classes of people are culpable for their willful ignorance; guilty on account of their naive, comfort-prioritizing “complicity” in an evil system.
I agree, Brett! Excellent description!
The reason for the glaring blind spot in Brett’s argument is that he would have to acknowledge that the ideology he has aligned himself with is the oppressive system. He is part of the wizard’s system. He notes that the wizard is a “God-proxy,” but cannot acknowledge or see how accurate that really is. Once the evangelical god is exposed for what he really is — a power-hungry, controlling pseudo-deity — you see everything differently. You realize he’s not coming to save you, and in fact is still hellbent on controlling and destroying innocent civilians. And those who buck the wizard’s system and “defy gravity” because at least then they are “flying free,” are not immoral or amoral, but in fact may be making the most moral choice they have available to them.
Just because the conclusion doesn’t align with the power structures that be; just because ideas of morality are complicated; just because good and evil are not always what they seem, does not mean that the moral ideas in Wicked are “ultimately incoherent and unhelpful” (McCracken). They are quite the opposite, in fact. And I wish that Brett, and other evangelicals complaining Wicked is “too woke,” had the lens to see it.
Okay theater fans, TALK TO ME IN THE COMMENTS BECAUSE I AM WICKED OBSESSED. Or just shared your thoughts about so-called “post-Christian morality,” or why theater and literature keep on pointing us out to ourselves time after time. Talk to me about anything, and/or press that little “heart” to say hi and spread the news about this post! See you in the comments —
Brilliant piece, Christine! I wish I could add my own thoughts, but you've captured them better than I could!
Looks like McCracken has done everything right with his analysis except use it as a mirror.
Outstanding writing, Christine! Just once I'd like to hear a Christian authority recognize that their moral absolutes corrode love and kindness and cause rigor mortis of the human soul.