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A personal reflection on Wicked: Part I: The Story of the Two Witches and what it says about how we treat books, knowledge, and culture. Includes thoughts on Elphaba, Glinda, and one unforgettable library scene.
Warning: This review contains spoilers.
Don’t step on books.
Never step on books.
When I saw books being stepped on in the movie, I couldn’t bear it—I had to look away.
They stepped on books, tossed them around, and even danced on them while keeping their feet on the covers.
The characters sang and danced happily to cheerful music while treating books carelessly.
In the world of Oz, it seems that the culture and wisdom of those who came before have been forgotten or dismissed.
That’s probably what this scene was meant to express.
Why the Scene Hit Me So Hard
Ever since I was a child, I was taught—both at home and at school—never to treat books roughly.
I’ve always wanted to take good care of books, and I actually do.
You could say it’s because of my upbringing, but it’s not only because “my parents told me so.”
Anyone who truly loves books would find it impossible to mistreat them.
Take, for example, one of my favorite authors—Kaho Nashiki.
I’ve always approached her novels with affection, respect, awe, and deep emotion.
Not only her books, but many others have expanded my world, deepened my thoughts, and even comforted my loneliness.
So the idea of stepping on such books feels unbearable to me.
Still, I sometimes wonder if it’s fair to treat all “books” as the same.
There are certainly books in this world that make you want to throw them or stomp on them.
But even then, I couldn’t bring myself to actually do it.
Because to me, a book represents its author.
Whether I agree with its content, dislike it, or even find it offensive, there’s always a person behind it—and that alone makes it impossible for me to treat a book with contempt.
The Library Scene as a Symbolic Book Burning
In the library scene of Wicked: Part I, the musical number seems to depict a kind of book burning—not literally, but symbolically.
Books, which are the accumulation of knowledge, history, and culture, are treated lightly and destroyed in spirit.
What’s even more striking is that this act isn’t carried out by those in power, but by students—the very people who should be shaping the future.
It gives the impression that the land of Oz has already passed the point of no return.
The young people sing and dance, showing not the slightest trace of guilt as they trample on the wisdom of those who came before.
I remember the old movie Dunhuang, where the act of burning books was committed by rulers with a clear purpose—to sever history and erase culture.
But in Wicked: Part I, it’s different.
Ordinary people are destroying books naturally, without orders or ideology.
It feels like a society collapsing on its own, without any need for intervention from those in power.
My Thoughts on Glinda and Elphaba
I couldn’t bring myself to like Glinda.
I didn’t like how she acted carefree and cheerful while backed by her family’s wealth.
Nor did I like how she used others just to avoid unwanted attention directed at her.
However, I did like one thing: when she chose to dance with Elphaba, who, despite her pain and loneliness, chose to dance anyway.
That single act felt born out of Glinda’s kindness, gratitude, and regret.
Final Thoughts
Wicked is full of color, movement, and dazzling music—but for me, the most powerful scene wasn’t about magic or friendship.
It was about how easily a society can forget the value of knowledge, and how fragile our respect for books—and for the past—can be.
