"in baum's book, the wizard speaks wisely to the scarecrow, the tin woodman, and the cowardly lion about the traits they desire and bestows on each of them a symbol that resembles their requests. to the scarecrow he gives sharp pins and needles for brains, to the tin woodman he offers a silk heart for love, and to the cowardly lion he prepares a potion for courage. his acknowledgment and validation of their respective traits allows them to see clearly who they are.

in the movie the wizard's gifts are represented as accolades to acknowledge achievement: a diploma for intelligence, a testimonial for kindness, and a medal for courage. this small change points to a misunderstanding that often arises when striving for particular goals. recognition of success is frequently mistaken as a substitute for what is real. accruing the praise of another individual does not necessarily indicate the presence of particular qualitites. as baum intimates through the wizard's comments to dorothy and her friends, wisdom, compassion, and courage come when inner resources are activated to respond to life's challenges."
-the wisdom of oz-