Alice in wonderland

Alice's adventures in Wonderland

Lewis Carrol

Index

Themes

Biography

Most interesting part

Plot

Characters

Author's message

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dogson, was born in Daresbury in Cheshire, in 1832 into an Anglican family of Irish origins. He was the third of eleven children brought up in the rectorate where his father was an Anglican minister. Carroll was a precocious child but suffered from a stutter, which sometimes caused him problems in his social life. He studied at Rugby School and then at Christ Church College, Oxford, where his father had also studied and where he taught mathematics for around twenty-six years. After becoming particularly passionate about photography, he soon began writing poems and stories, drawing inspiration above all from the world of childhood that was so dear to him. He spent long hours with H.G.'s daughters. Liddell, the rector of Christ Church, Lorina, Alice and Edith, for whom, during a picnic and a boat trip on the River Thames in Oxford, he invented the fantastic story of Alice to entertain them during the journey. The writer had a predilection for Alice and it was for her that he transformed his improvised story into a very famous book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, published in 1865.

ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is not a novel in the traditional sense of the term, it is a fantastic story, in which Alice, the protagonist, falls asleep and dreams of following a white rabbit, which she saw in the garden, in its den, He thus finds himself in a surreal and fantastic world, where things are not what they seem. It is a world without logic, in which nature and its laws are constantly changing. Alice also begins to change, her body grows or shrinks depending on what she drinks or eats. This world is populated by strange creatures and talking animals such as the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat or the Caterpillar, all lacking common sense and logic. These characters question everything Alice does or says, but they themselves say and do bizarre things that lack logic.

characters

Alice: the protagonist, ideally inspired by little Alice Liddell, friend of the Reverend Carroll, nevertheless possesses some character peculiarities studied according to the message that the author intends to convey with his work. In fact, Alice is very reasonable and polite but at the same time always remains curious and determined. These characteristics of hers, which contribute to moving the story and the dialogues, rarely put her in serious danger; in any case, the little girl extricates herself from every situation in the most rational way possible, without taking anything away from the taste for adventure and ironic or absurd reversal. Alice essentially represents childhood as it should be according to Carroll: free and carefree but not naive and silly, capable of relating to the world but not losing (like adults) the precious gift of dreaming imagination.

The White Rabbit: represents the link between Alice and "wonderland", even if he is represented as the most human of the characters in the fictional world. The Rabbit is in fact very worried about the delay (not surprisingly, he frantically consults his pocket watch), which could put him in a bad light with the Queen, in whose wake we find him at the end of the novel. He is configured as an ideal double of Alice: he is an adult, obsessed with duties and the little time available and submissive to the power of the Queen. The White Rabbit then represents those who, without imagination, do not know or are unable to accept new things: it is no coincidence that he is the one who is always terrified by Alice's transformations into a dwarf or giant.

characters

The March Hare and the Mad Hatter: the Hare and the Mad Hatter are two characters explicitly considered crazy by all the inhabitants of the fantasy world visited by Alice, characterized by even more unusual behavior than usual. Their characterization is therefore particularly inherent in some elements of nonsense, evident above all in the tea reception scene: for example, the Hare offers wine to the protagonist even though he already knows he doesn't have any, while all the characters are condemned, due to a punishment from Time , to frantically change places in a perpetual banquet, as their watch only indicates the day but not the exact time. During tea, the Mad Hatter recites the senseless poem Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat (probably alluding to one of Carroll's own university professors), while Alice is asked absurd questions. Unlike other characters, in this case it is the protagonist, quite annoyed, who decides to abandon the Hare and the Hatter.

The Queen of Hearts: The Queen of Hearts primarily represents blind fury and unjust punishment. This character in fact governs his world arbitrarily, sending to capital punishment anyone who represents the slightest element of annoyance or boredom (as in the case of the gardeners) or on pure whim (as with the Knave of Hearts). If the Rabbit is Alice's double, the Queen is her nemesis. However, unlike normal fable or fairy-tale stories, in which the "bad guy" is defeated, punished or killed by the main protagonist and his helpers, here the situation has changed: Alice saves herself from the trial by simply regaining her normal size and recognizing that what he has in front of him are simple and harmless cards.

The theme of growth

One of the main symbolisms of Alice's entire story concerns the theme of growth. The creatures and landscapes around Alice constantly change and she herself undergoes a series of both physical and emotional transformations throughout the course of the adventure. Alice's physical change after drinking from the bottle labeled "Drink Me" is one of the most iconic examples of transformation. When she drinks from the bottle, Alice shrinks and has to move in a world that suddenly seems much bigger and scarier. This drastic change represents the challenges that come with growing up, particularly during adolescence, a period in which one faces new and unknown situations. Alice must use her resourcefulness to find her way in this new world, just as teenagers must learn to adapt to their new condition of losing their childhood and entering the complex world of adults. Alice often feels torn between the desire to remain a child and that of becoming an adult. This confusion is summarized in the scene where she meets the Caterpillar and defines herself with these words: “I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I've changed several times since then.” The statement manages to precisely capture the uncertainty that often accompanies the process of discovering one's identity during adolescence.

The topic of narcotic substances

The theme of drugs is present throughout the story and many scholars have interpreted Alice's experiences as drug-induced hallucinations. The surreal and illogical elements of the novel can be seen as a reflection of the disorientating effects of some hallucinogenic drugs, and Alice's repeated changes in size may represent the feeling of losing control that can result from substance use. We know from historical sources that in the Victorian era in which Lewis Carroll lived, there was a profound social transformation and the use of narcotic substances was common, especially among the upper middle class. In reality there is no evidence that Lewis Carroll ever experimented with laudanum, a type of opium used mainly in that era. Despite this, this possible interpretation once again allows us to find connections with the most delicate issues of modern society.

The topic of mental health

Alice in Wonderland is a story that addresses various issues relating to mental health. First of all, Alice herself represents the search for identity, the confusion and disorientation that derives from it, but also the open-mindedness, the adventurous and curious spirit that exists in each of us. His journey invites you to challenge the norms and conventions of society. Although many mental disorders were not known in Carroll's time, psychologists and psychiatrists recognize in each of the characters in the story a representation of specific mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder or narcissistic personality disorder.

The most interesting part

In my opinion the most interesting part of this wonderful story is precisely the initial one, with the entry into a "world upside down", consequence of a state of boredom: -" Alice is bored and so her attention is attracted by a white rabbit who runs breathlessly, talks to himself and - which surprises Alice - consults a pocket watch. Alice decides to follow him and the Rabbit leads her through a hole that as an entrance to a fantastic world. As soon as she enters, in fact, Alice falls down a deep cliff to the center of the Earth: contrary to what should happen according to the laws of physics, Alice falls very slowly, so much so that she can carefully admire the interior furnishings of the well, which closely resembles an apartment. Alice is not at all frightened by the context in which she finds herself, so much so that she even risks falling asleep: she rather thinks about where she will land." And from here all his significant adventures begin until......... - "Alice wakes up like this in the garden of the house, next to her sister, to whom she tells her adventure in a dream just before running into the house because it is now tea time. The sister hopes that Alice never loses her imagination even as an adult."

So what are the lessons that can be learned from Alice in Wonderland? Learning to grow and manage the problems that life presents. Alice faces them believing only in herself. Learn to understand what is best for yourself and chase your dreams. Learn to express yourself and know and make your identity known. Alice often wonders who she is and little by little, learning not to be at the mercy of events, she builds her own ego. Learning to accept the oddities and opportunities, even if bizarre, that life can offer. Adulthood implies responsibility, but despite this we must never give up on living life fully and above all on taking care of and pampering our inner child.

Erika lorusso 2l