Book and Chapter Summaries

Maia is an orphan living in the Mayfair Academy for Young Ladies in England. However, word comes from Mr. Murray, a lawyer and her guardian, that he has found her relatives who are willing to take her in, called the Carters. Along with agoverness, Miss Minton, Maia goes by sea to Manaus, Brazil. On the ship, she meets a boy named Clovis King, who is traveling with his adoptive parents. He wishes to go back to England, to his foster mother, but the Goodleys (the acting troupe) won't let him. Maia promises that she will go and see his play once inBrazil.

The Carters are as kind as she had hoped for. Beatrice and Gwendolyn, the twins, seem to be not strictly British and active. So when time comes to see Clovis's play in the town, the twins tell the truth and say that all the tickets had sold out and they had bought one for her. Maia goes to see Clovis, and she secretly slips out of the Carters house and tries to get to Manaus. When she gets lost an Indian boy takes her to the theatre on his boat. When Maia finally gets to watch (Little Lord Fauntleroy), Clovis is acting very well, but in the most important part, his voice cracks and the play is ruined. Later, Maia meets a half-native, half-British boy called Finn Taverner and finds out that he was the boy who gave her a ride to Clovis's act. Men, whom Maia nicknames "the crows", are chasing him because his grandfather had wanted to be the heir of Westwood, the estate of the wealthy Taverner family. Finn doesn't want to go, because he is wants to travel up the Amazon to where an Indian tribe(his mother's tribe) called the Xanti live. Afterward, Clovis meets Finn to and Finn suggests that they swap positions because Clovis wants to go back to England and Finn wants to stay in Brazil. Clovis will pretend to be Finn Taverner and become the heir to Westwood, while Finn will explore the "River Sea" (the name given to the Amazon River by locals). The swapping is successful, and for a while, everything seems to be going fairly well. But then one day, Miss Minton disappears. She has plans to rescue Maia from the Carters by taking the place of Mademoiselle Lille, the governess to a Russian family, the Keminskys, Maia's friends Sergei and Olga and their parents, the Count and Countess Keminsky. While she is gone, the twins accidentally start a fire in the Carters's home. Mrs. Carter tries to kill a bug but the sprayer lid comes off, spilling onto the oil lamp, burning the twins' bedroom and finally the whole house. The Carters are sent to the hospital in the river ambulance, but Maia is left on her own. She is found by Finn and he takes her on his boat, theArabella, to embark on the adventure she had hoped for. Miss Minton and her friend, Professor Neville Glastonberry, chase after them by boat as well. They find the Xanti and for a short time, they live with them and are perfectly happy. Then a problem presents itself. Maia is singing for the Xanti, and the police from Manaus hear her voice and also find Miss Minton's corset, and, thinking they will rescue Miss Minton, Maia, and the curator of the Natural History museum, take them back to Manaus. Clovis confesses that he is not the heir and wishes to go home, but covers it up after Sir Aubrey has a heart attack. Finn goes to Westwood, his father's home, to help Clovis.

In the end, Maia, Miss Minton and Finn all return home (Manaus) and Clovis "Finn" becomes the heir.

In the first chapter, a tornado hits the farmhouse where Dorothy Gale lives with her guardians, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. Her guardians make it safely into the storm shelter. But Dorothy and her pet dog Toto are carried away with the house by the tornado.

In the second chapter, the tornado drops the house into the Munchkin Country in the beautiful, enchanted, magical land of Oz. Dorothy discovers that the house has fallen on and killed the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins give the Witch's Silver Shoes to Dorothy. But they cannnot help her get back to her home in Kansas. The Good Witch of the North suggests that the Wizard of Oz may be of help.

On the Good Witch's advice, Dorothy wears the Silver Shoes in the third chapter. She and Toto start along the Yellow Brick Road that will take them to the Wizard's residence in the Emerald City. On the way, she meets the Scarecrow perched on, and fastened to, a pole. She pulls him off the pole. He tells her that he has no brains, but does not wish to be considered a fool. She persuades him to accompany her to the Emerald City, to see if the Wizard can give him a brain.

In the fourth chapter, the Yellow Brick Road takes Dorothy, Toto, and the Scarecrow into a large and dense forest. On the way, Dorothy finds out how the Scarecrow had been made. She also learns how unsuccessful he was in scaring crows away from the corn field where he had been placed on the pole.

In the fifth chapter, the travelers come across a Tin Woodman who has rusted and become immovable as a result of being caught in a rain storm. Dorothy finds an oil can to oil the Woodman's joints. She also finds that the Woodman had been human to begin with. But the Wicked Witch of the East had enchanted his ax so it cut him to pieces. A tinsmith came along and provided the Woodman with tin body parts. But in the process, the Woodman lost his heart and therefore could not love a Munchkin girl whom he had hoped to marry. Dorothy therefore suggests that the Woodman come with her to the Emerald City, to see if the Wizard can give him a heart.

Still in the forest in the sixth chapter, the travelers next meet a Cowardly Lion, who admits to his fears. Dorothy thereupon suggests that the Lion seek courage in the Emerald City from the Wizard.

In the seventh chapter, the travelers come across two gulfs breaking up the continuity of the Yellow Brick Road. On the Scarecrow's advice, the Lion carries first the Scarecrow across the first gulf, then Dorothy with Toto in her arms, and finally the Tin Woodman.

The second gulf is so wide that the Scarecrow suggests that the Tin Woodman chop a tree down to function as a bridge. In this way, the travelers safely cross the second gulf. But two ferocious beasts called Kalidahs begin to cross the tree bridge. On the Scarecrow's advice, the Tin Woodman chops at the crown until the tree falls into the gulf and the Kalidahs are killed.

In the afternoon, the travelers reach find a wide and swift flowing river blocking their path at the forest's far end. The Scarecrow suggests that the Tin Woodman cut down trees so that a raft can be made of the trunks.

The next morning, in the eighth chapter, the raft is completed. But the strong current soon sweeps the raft far away from the Yellow Brick Road. In an effort to bring the raft to the far bank, the Scarecrow pushes the pole so deep into the river bottom that it sticks fast. The pole and the Scarecrow soon are left far behind by the raft as a result of the strong current.

The Cowardly Lion jumps into the river. The Tin Woodman grabs hold of the Lion's tail. The two get the raft to shore. The travelers walk back along the river bank until they can see the Scarecrow perched on his pole in the middle of the river. A Stork carries the Scarecrow back to his comrades.

Before the travelers can get back to the Yellow Brick Road, they enter a field of poppies. The poppies cause Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly Lion to fall asleep. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman pick up Dorothy and Toto and carry them out of the field. But the Lion is too big and heavy to be carried.

In the ninth chapter, the Tin Woodman is beyond the poppy field, but short of the Yellow Brick Road. He discovers a field mouse being pursued by a ravenous wildcat. He beheads the wildcat with his ax. The mouse is the Queen of the Field Mice. The Queen's subjects find out what has happened, and one of them asks how the mice can repay the Tin Woodman.

The Scarecrow suggests that the Field Mice rescue the Cowardly Lion from the poppy field. At the Scarecrow's suggestion, the Tin Woodman cuts down several nearby trees and makes a truck. Thousands of Field Mice attach strings to the truck and pull the truck into the poppy field. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman help load the Lion onto the truck. The mice pull the truck, Lion and all, out of the poppy field. During this time, Dorothy and Toto wake up and find out that they are no longer among the poppies.

In the tenth chapter, the Cowardly Lion awakes and finds that he has been pulled out of the deadly poppy field. The travelers resume their quest for the Yellow Brick Road.

Along the way, the travelers have to make an overnight stop at a farmhouse. Their host tells them that the Wizard never permits anyone to see him face to face. The Wizard in fact takes on whatever form he pleases. So no one knows what the Wizard's natural form is.

This does not deter Dorothy or her companions. The next morning, they resume their trip and arrive at the Emerald City. There, the Guardian of the Gate puts spectacles with green lenses on them so the splendor of the city will not blind them. After that, he leads them into the Emerald City proper.

In the eleventh chapter, the travelers meet the Soldier with the Green Whiskers at the royal palace. The Soldier takes to the Wizard the travelers' message that they wish to see him, and comes back with the news that the Wizard will see only one of them at a time, one each day.

The Wizard appears in a different form to each of the travelers: a great head to Dorothy; a lovely lady to the Scarecrow; a five-eyed, five-armed and five-legged beast to the Tin Woodman; and a ball of fire to the Cowardly Lion. To each of the travelers, the Wizard declares that their requests can be granted only after at least one of the travelers kills the Wicked Witch of the West.

In the twelfth chapter, the Guardian of the Gate removes the green spectacles from the travelers' eyes. He tells them that there is no road into the Winkie Country. But if they keep heading in the direction of the setting sun, they ultimately will arrive at the Castle of the Wicked Witch of the West.

The Witch sees them before they see her. She sends a herd of wolves, a flock of crows, and a swarm of bees against the invaders. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman see kill all of them. This leaves the Witch with the sole magical resource of the Golden Cap, with which she commands the Winged Monkeys.

Whoever owns the Golden Cap has the power to command the Winged Monkeys only three times. The Witch already has exercised the Cap's powers twice. She used the Cap to make herself the ruler of the Winkies, and to drive the Wizard out of the Winkie Country.

The Witch feels that she must use her last command to rid the Winkie Country of the invaders. Accordingly, the Monkeys pull the Scarecrow to pieces and drop the Tin Woodman onto a pile of rocks from a great height. They spare the Cowardly Lion, whom the Witch wants to make into a work animal. So they carry the Lion to a small yard surrounded by a high fence.

The Monkeys also spare Dorothy and Toto. The King of the Winged Monkeys notices on Dorothy's forehead a mark left when the Good Witch of the North had kissed her. He reasons that Dorothy is under the protection of a power higher than the Wicked Witch. So they carry Dorothy and Toto to the Witch's castle and leave her there.

The Witch repeatedly tries to get the Lion to submit to being a work animal. But each time the Lion refuses. The Witch tries to starve the Lion into submission. But Dorothy sneaks food to him each night.

In addition, the Witch notices Dorothy's Silver Shoes. By a ruse, she succeeds in stealing one of them. Dorothy demands that the shoe be returned. The Witch refuses. Dorothy loses her temper, and drenches the Witch with a bucketful of water. The Witch melts into a shapeless mass, which Dorothy then sweeps out the door and from which she retrieves the stolen shoe.

In the thirteenth chapter, Dorothy sets the Lion free from his prison. She calls the Winkies together to tell them that they now are free from the Witch's tyranny. She asks them to rescue the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. The Winkies restuff the Scarecrow and solder together and repair the Tin Woodman.

A few days later, the travelers decide to return to the Emerald City to tell the Wizard that they have accomplished their mission. On this occasion, Dorothy notices the Golden Cap. She does not know what it is supposed to be used for. But she decides to take it with her.

In the fourteenth chapter, the travelers soon become lost because of the lack of a road between the Witch's castle and the Emerald City. Dorothy summons the Queen of the Field Mice. The Queen tells the travelers that they consistently have traveled in the wrong direction. She then notices the Golden Cap and suggests that Dorothy use it to summon the Winged Monkeys. The Queen tells Dorothy of the charm that is on the inside of the Cap and that summons the Winged Monkeys.

Dorothy uses the charm. The Winged Monkeys appear and carry the travelers through the air to the Emerald City. On the way there, the King explains why his Winged Monkeys must obey the commands of the possessor of the Golden Cap. He also explains why the Cap can be used by any given person only three times.

In the fifteenth chapter, the Guardian of the Gate is surprised to see the travelers once more. When he hears that they had melted the Witch, he lets them into the Emerald City.

The Wizard remains silent for at least four days. Finally, the Scarecrow sends a message that they will summon the Winged Monkeys to find out whether or not the Wizard keeps his promises. This frightens the Wizard into agreeing to see all of them the next morning.

When the travelers appear in the throne room, nobody else is there and the throne is empty. But they hear a voice seeming to come from the throne and saying that the Wizard must have time to think it over. The Tin Woodman responds that the Wizard already has had plenty of time. The Cowardly Lion utters such a loud, long roar that Toto becomes frightened, jumps away and accidentally knocks over a screen, behind which is the Wizard in his natural form as a short and old man. And so the travelers realize that the Wizard is a humbug.

The travelers learn that the Wizard was born in Omaha, Nebraska. The Wizard became a ventriloquist and balloonist on growing up. One day, the ropes became twisted when the Wizard was making an ascension. A gust of wind carried the balloon far away, to the land of Oz. There, he had the Emerald City built. He also had the green spectacles made so that everything that everybody in the city sees looks green.

The Wizard explains that he was afraid of the Witches. The Witches of the North and the South were both good. But the Witches of the East and West were wicked. He could not do anything to get rid of the Wicked Witches. Dorothy concludes that the Wizard is a bad man.

The Wizard replies that he actually is a good man, but simply a bad Wizard. He decides to see what he can do about granting the travelers their requests. All he asks in return is that they not reveal to anyone that the Wizard is a humbug.

The next day, in the sixteenth chapter, the Wizard loads the Scarecrow's head with bran mixed with pins and needles. The Scarecrow thereby can be said to have "bran new" brains and to be sharp.

The Tin Woodman submits to having a hole cut in his chest. A silk heart stuffed with sawdust is put into his chest through the hole. The Wizard replaces and solders the cut out portion.

For the Cowardly Lion, the Wizard provides a bowl filled with green gold liquid. The Wizard describes it as courage if it were inside one. The Lion thereupon drinks the entire bowlful and declares that he now feels full of courage.

But when it comes to Dorothy, the Wizard still is stumped. He can use imagination with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion. But he is forced to realize that imagination by itself cannot get Dorothy back to Kansas.

Four days later, in the seventeenth chapter, the Wizard decides to make a balloon. Moreover, he decides to go with Dorothy and Toto. When the balloon is finished, the Wizard has it brought out into the palace courtyard. The Tin Woodman builds a fire to inflate the balloon.

The Wizard steps into the basket, announces to the Ozites that he is going to visit a brother wizard in the clouds, and declares that in his absence the Scarecrow will rule over the land. Toto escapes from Dorothy's arms to bark at a kitten. Dorothy has to spend time looking for him. She finally finds him, and runs towards the balloon basket. The ropes give way, and the balloon sails off, with the Wizard but without her.

In the eighteenth chapter, the Scarecrow suggests that Dorothy have the Winged Monkeys take her back to Kansas. Dorothy accepts the suggestion. But the King of the Winged Monkeys declares that this is impossible. The Winged Monkeys cannot leave the land of Oz.

The Soldier with the Green Whiskers then is called for. He suggests that Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, may be able to help. He explains that Quadling inhabitants of the southern part of Oz never visit the Emerald City on account of the dangers in the way.

The Scarecrow decides that Dorothy's best course is to visit Glinda. He, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion all decide to accompany her there.

In the nineteenth chapter, the travelers head straight south from the Emerald City. On the second day of their trip, they come across a large, dense forest. The Scarecrow takes the lead and tries to enter the forest. But the first tree that he passes grabs him and throws him back.

The Tin Woodman then tries to enter the forest. The tree, which is one of the Fighting Trees, tries to grab him too. But the Woodman chops off the branch that the tree is using. While the tree is shaking from pain, the other travelers pass by it.

But at the far end of the forest, they meet up with a high wall made of china. There apparently is no doorway in the wall.

In the twentieth chapter, the Tin Woodman fashions a ladder. The travelers climb the ladder to reach the top of the wall. There they notice that everything below them and beyond the wall is made of china. But the ladder is too heavy to pull up and over the top of the wall. The ground below is made of china. So the Scarecrow falls off the wall, and the others jump onto him so he can cushion them against the hard ground. They then walk carefully through the China Country. But on the way, a cow that is being milked suddenly kicks over the pail, breaking both her leg and the pail.

The travelers therefore become extra careful. They do whatever they can to make sure that no further damage is done to the China Country or its inhabitants.

Presently they reach the wall marking the further boundary of this fragile domain. It is not as high as the first wall. By standing on the back of the Cowardly Lion, the other travelers all reach the top. The Cowardly Lion then jumps onto the wall top and accidentally destroys a china church with his tail.

In the twenty-first chapter, the travelers descend from the wall. They pass through an area of bogs. They then enter another forest, where the beasts are having a meeting. The Cowardly Lion discovers that an elephant-sized spider-like creature has been attacking and eating them. He finds the giant spider asleep, jumps onto the monster's back, and beheads it with a single blow of his paw. When the other beasts find out what has happened, they acknowledge the Cowardly Lion as their King.

Beyond the forest, in the twenty-second chapter, the travelers come across the land of the Hammerheads. The Hammerheads have no arms. But their stretchable necks allow them to use their heads to butt anyone who tries to enter their country.

The Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion both defy the Hammerheads' order to keep out. Both of them are butted down the hill that marks the boundary of the Hammerhead country. So Dorothy uses the Golden Cap to summon the Winged Monkeys, who carry the travelers through the air and far beyond the shooting range of the Hammerheads' heads. The Winged Monkeys point out that this is the last time that Dorothy can call them.

The travelers meet with no further difficulties. Presently they arrive at Glinda's castle. There, they obtain immediate admittance.

Inside Glinda's castle, in the twenty-third chapter, Dorothy is asked to hand over the Golden Cap. Glinda uses the Cap to command the Winged Monkeys to carry the Scarecrow to the Emerald City, to rule as the Wizard's successor. The Tin Woodman is carried to the Winkie Country, where the Winkies asked him him to be their next ruler. The Cowardly Lion is carried to the forest whose beasts have made him their king. Glinda then gives the Cap to the King of the Winged Monkeys. The Winged Monkeys now are forever free.

Glinda then says that the Silver Shoes can carry Dorothy back to Kansas. All that Dorothy has to do is clap the heels of the shoes three times and then command the shoes to take her to any place she wishes. After bidding her companions a tearful farewell, Dorothy holds Toto in her arms, claps the heels of the Silver Shoes three times, and says, "Take me home to Aunt Em!" In three steps, they take her back to the Kansas farmstead. There she finds that Uncle Henry has built a new house to replace the one the tornado had carried away. But she also finds that the Silver Shoes have vanished forever.

In the twenty-fourth chapter, Aunt Em notices Dorothy and takes her into her arms. Dorothy announces that she is glad to be home again.

George Eliot's book, The Mill on the Floss, has many chapters, each having a lot of detail.

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