Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland Part B

This week’s reading of Alice in Wonderland was full of even more of the expected whimsy and great characters. After thinking about it after last night, I came to one of the conclusions that part of the reason why Alice in Wonderland is so widely read about and praised is because of the characters and setting that the story in contained within. It brings out everyone’s childlike wonder, with a touch of imagination thrown in to build the characters. Every character is unique and different from any of those around them. They stick out like a sore thumb and will plant themselves in your imagination.

Take, for example, the Mad Hatter, The Dormouse, and the March Hare (which were read about today). While sharing one larger trait (they were all crazy!) they each had derivatives of this that made them stand out, providing great interactions between the seemingly normal Alice and themselves. By having a contrast in insanity, Carroll is able to defy expectations by making Alice seem the crazy one from the view of the characters at the tea table.

The conversations that ensue go like this, Alice says something that is pretty normal, such as asking who they are or why their doing certain odd behavior. Then, they answer promptly and with absolute certainty that what they are doing is completely normal. “’Of course you don’t’, the Hatter said, tossing his head contemptuously. ‘I dare say you never even spoke to Time’”. This quote perfectly encapsulates what type of world Alice has found herself in. One without any rules that apply to our realm, where one can easily talk to Time as if he were a friend. Overall, these stories might have been the best to read, since they are able to ignite the child within any of us, which is a definite benefit to writing short stories. 

"Mad Hatter"

Drawn by Sir John Tenniel

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll (1865).