Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll • Today we will be taking an introductory glimpse at: • Lewis Carroll • A Historical Overview of Victorian Life and Literature • Meeting the Main Characters • Themes, Motifs, and Symbolism Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class

2. Facts about the Author: • Charles Lutwigde Dodgson was better know under the pseudonym or pen name of Lewis Carroll . • He grew up in Cheshire village of Daresbury, England. • He was an Author, Mathematician, Logician, and Anglican Deacon. • Attended Rugby and Oxfords schools Lewis Carroll January 27, 1832 – 14 January 1898 Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class

3. The Victorian Era: A Historical overview • The Victorian Era was the time period that marked the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). This was a great time of change, but is overall remembered as a time which reflected on human refinement/sensibility, peace, ingenuity, and prosperity for England. Many important factors in this time were: • The Reform of 1832 which made major changes to the electoral system . • The abolishment of slavery in 1833 • The industrial and technological advancements taking place • Lets take a look at a full time line of this exciting time: • http://www.victorianweb.org/history/historytl.html Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class

4. Victorian Literature underwent drastic changes through the 1800s. Especially toward the end where of the century where many authors began to revolt against the Victorian ideals, and began to focus less on “art for arts sake” and more on realism and the aesthetics of the written word. As the literature moved farther away from its Neoclassic sibling, it began to find its own distinct attributes. Victorian Lit 3 Main Characteristics: • Realism- Strong focus on the common experience, and began to reflect human progress (technology, science, etc.) • Moral Value- Allegories or stories that asserts moral purpose through use of both direct and indirect inferences to good and evil. • Idealism- the school of thought that contemplates men/women in relation to the universe and evolutionary studies. There is also a great emphasis placed on the topics of truth, justice, love, self exploration, and the meaning of life. Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class

5. Characters and Allusions: What is an Allusion? It is the creation of a character or text reference meant to emulate Alice: Possibly modeled after Alice Liddle, the daughter of a fellow deacon “Mad as a hatter”- expression came from the profession of making hats. Men were poisoned with mercury, the chemical used to stiffen the felt to make the hats with Queen of hearts – allusion to either Queen Victoria, or Queen Margret of Lancaster in the war of the roses. Red was the lancaster color Cheshire cat: a possible allusion to Walcot’sPair of Lyric Epistles . It may also be referencing the cat that was printed on dairy cheese of Cheshire. There was also a grinning cat face on the building across from where Carroll was born . Main Characters Cheshire Cat The White Rabbit Alice The Mad Hatter Queen of Hearts Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class

6. Before we begin reading, we should: • Know to pay close attention to details. • Take notice of the themes, motifs, and symbols that are found through out the story. • Take down any quotes you would like to discuss or share. Themes, Motifs, and Symbols Themes: Coming of age & Loss of Innocence. Motifs: Duality or Reflection, Dreams, Curiosity, Language (riddles, rhymes, assumptions) Symbols: Gardens, Mirrors Ms.Peskett's Middle School English Class