About Alice In Wonderland

The story "Alice in Wonderland" enjoys a special place of honor in English literature. The author, Lewis Carroll, set the stage for a new generation of fantasy with a novel that altered the ideas of logic, rationality and childhood. In the years to come, "Alice in Wonderland" drove itself deep into the heart of modern culture.

History

In 1856, a new Dean of Christ Church - a constituent college of Oxford - would arrive in town with his family. Math professor and amateur writer, Charles Dodgson, would soon become close friends with the whole family, and particularly with the three daughters: Lorina, Edith and Alice Liddell. While taking the children on one of their regular rowing trips, Dodgson came up with the outline of a story that would eventual be known as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was published in 1865, under the pen name of "Lewis Carroll."

Features

In "Alice in Wonderland," a young girl is unexpectedly drawn into a surreal land filled with magical rabbit holes, invisible grinning cats, chaotic tea parties, impulsive homicidal queens and games of croquet played with flamingos and hedgehogs. The story slowly evolves into a compelling mix of puns, parodies and twists of logic. Its publication radically altered the literary world, giving rise to a whole new genre, "literary nonsense." Meanwhile, the story gave rise to characters that became cultural icons: Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and more.

Theories/Speculation

In 1863, when Alice was 11, a rift occurred between Dodgson and the Liddells for reasons that have never been definitively proven. A page in Dodgson's diary that might shed light on the cause of the rift was missing, although the alleged synopsis of the page was discovered in 1996. Dodgson enjoyed the gentleman's hobby of photography, and young girls were the subject in over half of the photos that have survived (child photography was, however, a widespread phenomenon in Victorian England). Barrels of ink have been spent postulating about the "true nature" of Dodgson's relation to Alice Liddell, but to no clear conclusion. Many people have also considered the role of psychedlic mushrooms in the creation of Wonderland. In particular, the effects of the fly agaric mushroom very closely resemble Alice's surreal experiences and altered perceptions.

Potential

The world first invented by Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll, provided a foundation on which countless other works of fantasy and imagination have been built. James Joyce and Vladimir Nabokov were both heavily influenced by the story, and other authors have worked to expand the "Alice in Wonderland" universe: Frank Beddor published "The Looking Glass Wars" in 2004, and Robert Gilmore wrote "Alice in Quantumland" as a young adult primer for quantum physics. The story has been adapted for film over a dozen times, and for stage and television as well.

Significance

The publication of "Alice in Wonderland" continues to make ripples far beyond its pages. In New York's Central Park in 1959, officials erected a prominent statue that depicts Alice sitting atop a mushroom and flanked by her friends the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and the Dormouse. The archetype of a precocious, proper but spunky young heroine continues to be embraced by literature and pop culture. The timeless story of "Alice in Wonderland" continues to evoke in its readers a delirious mix of innocence, adventure and dreams.

Resources

• Classical Library: Lewis Carroll
• The Carroll Myth
• Psychedelica Victoriana