Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The Story of Alice in Wonderland

The story of Alice in Wonderland has significant meaning and themes that build up the story. Alice goes through ludicrous physical changes and the feeling of not being the right size is a symbol of change that once faces through puberty. The changes are horrifying, creates a sense of emptiness and she feels sad undergoing the process. She endeavors to manage her physical size and feels agitated when she changes her appearance. In the story, Alice in the Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, she expects to counter various challenges but continuously baffles her in the capability to solve them. The random occurrence of events to grasp the Caucus race, solve the Queens Croquet game and Mad Hatters’ riddle is too much for her to handle. The narrative of Alice in the Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is filled with instances of emptiness and sorrow and has many literally devices such as symbolism and characterization as illustrated in this research.

Alice's Adventure in Wonderland

Alice gets bored and tries to look at the book her sister is reading and feel it is not interesting since it lacks dialogue and pictures. She, in turn, sees a rabbit with a coat and watch saying that it is getting late hurriedly into the wood. The site is surprisingly odd to see a talking rabbit with a coat and watch. She follows the rabbit into a big hole and in the whole, she asks her self-questions as she drops down not knowing where she will find herself (Brooker 26). In the whole, she finds a way to get into a tiny door that leads to a beautiful garden. Alice is puzzled with the choices she makes to fit into the tiny door.

Alice and the Symbolism of Children and Animals

The main character in the story reveals that Alice is the only real person portraying true characters from the creatures which are antagonists in the way they respond to Alice requests. Her innocence makes her eligible for social criticism. Alice’s goal is to break out from any infirmity she encounters around her. Suggestions interpret a child’s understanding of the world to be fair-minded contrary upon maturity a child may indulge in adult hypocrisy, extortion, sensuality, and sentimentality (Kim 38). The child is perceived as a sympathetic being only when the sympathy is extensive in which Alice falls short in when expressing Dinah her cat to the mouse. Subsequently, Alice concedes to have devoured eggs to the panicky mother pigeon.

The Symbolism of Children and Animals in Wonderland

The symbolism of children and animals is evident in book Alice in the Wonderland. Apart from Gryphon, no animals portray any sort of hostility that could trigger Alice to commit any harm. Gryphon being a fictitious animal doesn’t categorically fall under legitimate animals. Majority of the animals featured in the book are the type found in pet shops, average class households and children’s animations (Lough 304). Alice instinctively identifies herself with the animals but her affiliation with them turns on her considering them as a grownup. Her affiliation with adults is influenced by her existence with the animals. Alice Puts emphasis on her existence and her affiliation to adults when she scrutinized that some grotesque children could be upgraded considering if they were pigs. In her scrutiny, there’s acknowledgment of a prevalent situation of animals and children all exemplified to a certain level. In children, insects, plants, and many others have the capability of being exemplified by children or adults.

Death and Dreams in Wonderland

Being brought up in wonderland suggested the child’s demise. Alice is still a child throughout her growth though in Wonderland death is not quite far from the child. Death is epitomized when the White Rabbit’s fan triggers Alice relatively dematerialize. In the dialogue of the Caterpillar’s metamorphosis death is also evident (Bivona 147). Death also infuses in enchanted garden’s atmosphere. The Queen of Hearts who is fond of shouting her barbaric phrase “Off with their heads!” is the goddess of death.

Alice's Perceived Dreams and Reality

A dream does come to pass when not executed. A dream is an exposure of its own kind. In Wonderland Alice does not change her perception of her adventure; she possesses the recollection of wonderland but executes nothing legitimate form it. Assuming Alice departure from wonderland, she barely possesses anything to pass on to the creatures she has engaged in wonderland. In Caucus-race there is idiocy of equality (Kim 72). The essence of the race is to dry off everybody without concentrating on the loser or the winner because the aftermath of the race is immaterial. In wonderland every animal is civilized and it renders a distinctive glimpse of nature. Generally, the essential situation evident in the majority of the animals is insanity which has no particular remedy. Much of the amusement relies on bewilderment of “training.” Natural and nature sentiments reflect a crisis or possible brutality (Brooker 65). The Duchess is the only representation of fury; when burrowing her chin to Alice’s shoulder she channels a perverse contentment; fury galvanizes her morals. In Wonderland, nature is remarkable to nurture in that there is no advancement on an animal despite its personification, for instance, actual beasts resemble the personified beasts.

Rules and Justice in Wonderland

Wonderland is governed by many rules which are ironical to legitimate justice. The Queen of Hearts assumes that breaching the law does not guarantee one from illegitimate prosecution; she pursues the head of the Knave of Hearts for being implicated in embezzling the tarts. She breaches the legitimacy of the law of stealing to gratify the idea of an execution in every trial. Anyone is vulnerable in the Croquet game as they can be executed with the Queen's authority with no valid reason (Bivona 152). The Queen enjoys the liberty to take or give life in the game as she is part of monarchs who are above the law. In the case where the law fails to implement harmony, the main principle is sabotage. The law enforcement in the wonderland does not provide equal protection and the place is in a chaotic state. Inequality is evident in the wonderland with the tenacious person in the anarchy being the law (Lough 309). In the wonderland, Alice overthrows the Queen being the strongest on the sentence of execution in the vicious kangaroo court. Her act is contrary to the law but the law does not exist, she represents both prudent and just individuals in the society.

The Theme of Time and Space in Wonderland

The theme of time and space in the wonderland is physiological and portrays artist view. The thought of how we perceive ourselves to be older from a particular period the reflection of the time and clock is important in the growth aspect of our life. The glimpse of Alice on Mad Hatter’s watch see does not see date or hour of the clock; this is attributed to the frozen aspect of time during the tea party at 6 o’clock. The psychological duration of time makes wonderland to come to an end because it was an illusion symbolizing that one day our life will end.

Work cited

Bivona, Daniel. "Alice the child-imperialist and the games of Wonderland."Nineteenth-Century Literature 41.2 (1986): 143-171.

Brooker, Will. Alice's adventures: Lewis Carroll in popular culture. A&C Black, 2004.

Kim, Dong-ryeong. "Alice in the Wonderland."(2008).

Lough, George J. "Alice in Wonderland and cognitive development: teaching with examples."Journal of Adolescence 6.4 (1983): 305-315.