Who is the Mentor in the Wizard of Oz?

• A. The Wizard guides Dorothy.
• B. Glinda answers Dorothy's questions and sends her on the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard.
• C. The Witch guides Dorothy.
• D. Toto guides Dorothy.

Answer: (B)

In stories like this, the mentor is the guide who provides crucial guidance and sets the hero on the path to the journey. Glinda fills that role for Dorothy. She answers Dorothy’s questions, offers reassurance, and gives her the next step by directing her to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. That moment is the spark that launches Dorothy’s adventure, which is exactly what a mentor does: point the way and empower the hero to take the first step. The Wizard becomes a guiding figure later on, but the initial push comes from Glinda. The Witch and Toto do not serve as mentors, since the Witch opposes Dorothy and Toto is a loyal companion rather than a source of guidance.