Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland By: Lewis Carroll

2. Victorian Era • This novel was published in 1865 during the English Victorian era. • What made the Victorian era unique? • Extreme strictures in women’s roles • Certain etiquette rules for “polite society” • Development and reform (industry/labor)

3. Victorian Era • England was the world’s leading “superpower.” • The upper class maintained control over the political system. Middle and lower (working) classes did not get a voice. • Lower classes were hostile toward middle class and aristocracy.

4. Victorian Era • By the middle of the 19th century, industry had grown so much (including the development of factories) that labor exploitation was rampant. • Hard, dangerous labor was needed to continue the growth, and this was placed on: • Poor adults • Children of poor families • Orphans

5. It wasn’t until 1901 that England passed a law requiring all children to attend school, and it was the end of the Victorian Era before protections against child labor were put in place.

6. How does Alice tie in to all of this? • Lewis Carroll was painfully shy, and he often stuttered: he sort of had an outsider’s perspective on the Victorian society. • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is commentary on the Victorian Era’s smothering propriety and constrictive morals. • The animals in the novel often are very opinionated and have specific view of what is appropriate behavior and what is not (much like people of the time).

7. Children’s Literature • Carroll’s Alice books mock the children’s literature of the day. • Children’s lit. was full of simple morals, dry humor, and no imagination. • Carroll’s Alice books were full of games of logic and language and were often silly and absurd. • He didn’t think one needed to talk down to his/her audience (children).

8. Carroll’s View • Carroll sees the world as a dangerous place for children. Why would he think this? • The Alice books focus on the absurdities of adults, and it is Alice’s job to grow into a strong and compassionate person despite the peculiar behaviors of the creatures she meets. (These creatures symbolize the adult world).

9. Alice: The heroine of the story. Her adventures begin with her fateful jump down the rabbit hole, and the tale is an extended metaphor for the challenges she will face as she grows into an adult. She possesses unusual composure for a child, and she seems bright but makes many charming mistakes. She grows more confident as the book progresses.

10. White Rabbit: Alice's adventures begin when she follows the White Rabbit down the rabbit-hole. He is a messenger and a herald at the Court of the King and Queen of Hearts. He wears a waist-coat and carries a pocket watch.

11. Caterpillar: Wise, enigmatic, and unshakably mellow, the Caterpillar gives Alice some valuable advice about how to get by in Wonderland. He smokes a hookah and sits on a mushroom. He gives Alice the valuable gift of the mushroom (one side making her bigger, and the other making her small), which gives her control of her size in Wonderland.

12. Cheshire Cat: Possessing remarkably sharp claws and alarming sharp teeth, the Cheshire Cat is courteous and helpful, despite his frightening appearance. His face is fixed in an eerie grin. He can make any and all parts of his body disappear and reappear.

13. Mad Hatter: A madman who sits always at tea, every since Time stopped working for him. He takes his tea with the March Hare and the Dormouse. Alice is temporarily their guest, although she finds the event to be the stupidest tea party she has ever attended. Later, the nervous hatter is forced to be a witness at the trial.

14. Queen of Hearts: Nasty, brutal, and loud, the Queen delights in ordering executions, although everyone seems to get pardoned in the end. The people of Wonderland are terrified of her. Although Alice initially thinks she is silly, she grows frightened of her. In the end, however, a giant-size Alice is able to stand up to the Queen's temper and her threats.

15. Themes • Growth into Adulthood • Size Change (changes in body size, changes in perspective) • Games/Learning the Rules (the rules of life/society) • Language and Logic/Illogic (English language can be fun but also confusing) – Each character in the novel can justify its absurd behavior, and Alice must discern between unusual logic and utter nonsense.

16. Mad Hatter: “Have I gone mad?”Alice: “I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are. “ ENJOY!!!!