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Essay on Lyman Frank Baum
Frank Baum traveled a long road to reach his goals. Along the way, he encountered physical illness, bankruptcy, rejection and failure. However, like any hero, he triumphed in the end. Today, audiences still read and enjoy his fairy tales, proving L. Frank Baum to be a master of storytelling.
Lyman Frank Baum was born to Benjamin and Cynthia Ann Stanton Baum on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York. He took his place as the seventh of nine children born to his parents. Only five of those children lived to be adults. “Lyman Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York, into the wealthy family of Benjamin Ward Baum. Since the young Baum suffered from a weak heart--a defect that forced him to lead a sheltered childhood--he was tutored at home. Despite this physical impediment, Baum made an adventure of his life” (Web, 1).
At the time of Frank's birth, Benjamin Baum worked as a cooper, a manufacturer of barrels. However, when gold was discovered nearby, he quickly learned the oil business, in which he proceeded to make his fortune. Cynthia, a devout Episcopalian of Scotch-Irish descent, schooled her children in observance of the Sabbath and devotion to God. The family enjoyed a happy existence which revolved around friends, family and church.
Since birth, Frank suffered from heart trouble. Frail and sickly, he stayed close to home, receiving his education from a private tutor (Katharine, 2002).
Once he learned to read, he could be found in his father's study, devouring volumes by Dickens and Thackeray. He also enjoyed fairy tales, although he found that he didn't enjoy the presence of witches and other frightful creatures that often popped up in the stories. He vowed that someday he would write fairy tales that would not frighten young readers....
