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a mother, the Duchess is uncaring. Interestingly, when our guide to the
book, Alice, attempts to thwart the systems of Wonderland to return
them to a more typical Victorian configuration, she, herself, is
thwarted. Alice’s attempt to rescue the Duchess’s baby from madness
symbolizes the futility of individual resistance against societal norms.
Everything Alice encounters in Wonderland represents a con-
vention of the Victorian age. However, madness incorporates itself
into Victorian ideals, transforming them into themes opposite the
norm. Alice’s attempt to bring the correctness of the Victorian ideal to
Wonderland is futile.
2. Read a number of short essays and answer the questions.
I. The Rush to the Rabbit Hole
Alice begins her adventures in Wonderland when she chases a
rabbit down his hole, which she does not realize is in fact a magic
doorway to a strange new world. Boredom drove Alice to follow the
White Rabbit in the first place, since her circumstances in the real
world were tiresome to her. However, unlike most fantasy novels, in
which the author introduces the real or normal world before moving on
to the fantasy setting, Lewis Carroll spends exactly two sentences in
the normal world before diving into the strange fantasy kingdom of
Wonderland.
As Alice lay on the bank, «feeling very sleepy and stupid» and,
«considering... whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be
worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies» when the
White Rabbit appears. Carrol gives us only this brief description be-
fore he plunges us into his bizarre fantasy world, and this rapid, helter
skelter approach sets the tone for the rest of the novel.
1. What effect does the run on nature of Carroll's first two sen-
tences have on the following narrative, and why did he chose to use
that sentence structure?
2. Does the fact that we are forced to get to know Alice outside
of the context of her normal life have any bearing on how we come to
perceive her as a character?
II. A Change in Time
In Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the young,
innocent Alice soon realizes that anything goes in the fantastic world
38
of Wonderland. From bodiless talking cat heads to magical mush-
rooms, none of these things seem to surprise Alice as much as they
should. Carroll's inventive new rules for time do not appear to astonish
her either. In wanting to create an extraordinarily eccentric world, Car-
roll plays around with metaphysical elements. Changing time as the
reader knows it reinforces the otherworldliness of Carroll's world.
1. How does Carroll manage to change the rules of time?
2. How can time in Wonderland be compared to other fantastic
aspects of time found in other fantasy books?
3. What purpose might Carroll have for introducing the White
Rabbit who always speaks about time?
III. Where am I?
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland's fantastic setting sets up Al-
ice's need to learn the rules of Wonderland and adjust to it, like a child
to the world around it. Alice «[doesn't] know much ... and that's a
fact». She vainly attempts to prove her worth and knowledge though
this knowledge does not apply to the world she is in. Alice responds to
the Duchess' speech:
«If everybody minded their own business», the Duchess said, in
a hoarse growl, «the world would go round a deal faster than it does».
«Which would not be an advantage», said Alice, who felt very
glad to get an opportunity of showing off a little of her knowledge.
«Just think what work it would make with the day and night! You see
the earth takes twenty four hours to turn round on its axis».
Alice's views do not correspond with the views of Wonderland.
1. What stylistic techniques warrant the change in reality?
2. Alice uses objects of reality – «Paris», «day and night» – to
justify her claims, yet they only weaken her argument. How does this
use of comparisons characterize her?
3. Why does Alice use the word «earth» when speaking with the
Duchess, while the Duchess speaks of the «world»? What does this
signify?
IV. Growing up in Alice in Wonderland
When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, she tumbles into a topsy-
turvy world that only children can create – one filled with imagination
a mother, the Duchess is uncaring. Interestingly, when our guide to the of Wonderland. From bodiless talking cat heads to magical mush-
book, Alice, attempts to thwart the systems of Wonderland to return rooms, none of these things seem to surprise Alice as much as they
them to a more typical Victorian configuration, she, herself, is should. Carroll's inventive new rules for time do not appear to astonish
thwarted. Alice’s attempt to rescue the Duchess’s baby from madness her either. In wanting to create an extraordinarily eccentric world, Car-
symbolizes the futility of individual resistance against societal norms. roll plays around with metaphysical elements. Changing time as the
Everything Alice encounters in Wonderland represents a con- reader knows it reinforces the otherworldliness of Carroll's world.
vention of the Victorian age. However, madness incorporates itself 1. How does Carroll manage to change the rules of time?
into Victorian ideals, transforming them into themes opposite the 2. How can time in Wonderland be compared to other fantastic
norm. Alice’s attempt to bring the correctness of the Victorian ideal to aspects of time found in other fantasy books?
Wonderland is futile. 3. What purpose might Carroll have for introducing the White
Rabbit who always speaks about time?
2. Read a number of short essays and answer the questions.
I. The Rush to the Rabbit Hole III. Where am I?
Alice begins her adventures in Wonderland when she chases a Alice's Adventures in Wonderland's fantastic setting sets up Al-
rabbit down his hole, which she does not realize is in fact a magic ice's need to learn the rules of Wonderland and adjust to it, like a child
doorway to a strange new world. Boredom drove Alice to follow the to the world around it. Alice «[doesn't] know much ... and that's a
White Rabbit in the first place, since her circumstances in the real fact». She vainly attempts to prove her worth and knowledge though
world were tiresome to her. However, unlike most fantasy novels, in this knowledge does not apply to the world she is in. Alice responds to
which the author introduces the real or normal world before moving on the Duchess' speech:
to the fantasy setting, Lewis Carroll spends exactly two sentences in «If everybody minded their own business», the Duchess said, in
the normal world before diving into the strange fantasy kingdom of a hoarse growl, «the world would go round a deal faster than it does».
Wonderland. «Which would not be an advantage», said Alice, who felt very
As Alice lay on the bank, «feeling very sleepy and stupid» and, glad to get an opportunity of showing off a little of her knowledge.
«considering... whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be «Just think what work it would make with the day and night! You see
worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies» when the the earth takes twenty four hours to turn round on its axis».
White Rabbit appears. Carrol gives us only this brief description be- Alice's views do not correspond with the views of Wonderland.
fore he plunges us into his bizarre fantasy world, and this rapid, helter 1. What stylistic techniques warrant the change in reality?
skelter approach sets the tone for the rest of the novel. 2. Alice uses objects of reality – «Paris», «day and night» – to
1. What effect does the run on nature of Carroll's first two sen- justify her claims, yet they only weaken her argument. How does this
tences have on the following narrative, and why did he chose to use use of comparisons characterize her?
that sentence structure? 3. Why does Alice use the word «earth» when speaking with the
2. Does the fact that we are forced to get to know Alice outside Duchess, while the Duchess speaks of the «world»? What does this
of the context of her normal life have any bearing on how we come to signify?
perceive her as a character?
IV. Growing up in Alice in Wonderland
II. A Change in Time When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, she tumbles into a topsy-
In Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the young, turvy world that only children can create – one filled with imagination
innocent Alice soon realizes that anything goes in the fantastic world
37 38
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