There is no doubt that all the creatures that Alice met were strange and queer. The Mouse, the Dodo, Bill the Lizard, the Caterpillar which smoked a hookah, the grinning Cheshire cat…all the non-human characters were anthropomorphic, and they treated Alice in different ways. For example, the White Rabbit mistook her for Mary Ann (his housemaid) and ordered her furiously to fetch him his gloves and fan. Most probably Alice was just looked simple and ignorant, not more than a maid. The pigeon also accused Alice as a serpent, which wanted to eat the eggs due to the flexibility of Alice’s neck, convincing the Pigeon that Alice was certainly not a good girl. On the other hand, the Caterpillar seemed to be less hostile, as he advised Alice that “You’ll get used to it in time” when she complained the creatures there were hot-tempered. Maybe the Caterpillar could see that she was new to the Wonderland. Later she also met the Duchess, who first insulted her that she knows very little.
What is the significance of Alice’s fluctuations in size and shape in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
Since the whole story encircles around Alice’s growth and her adaptations to the Wonderland, the rapid changes in her body size play a crucial role in this novel. First, the growing of the body size might suggest the abrupt physical changes at the outset of puberty – when someone is entering the adulthood. However, the changes also bring out the issue of balance between physical and mentally growth. Alice was so confused about her own identity, until she could not answer the question of “Who are you?” from the caterpillar, for she grew and shrank so many times. On the contrary, the size changes also support the theme of adaptability in the novel. Alice ate both sides of the mushroom as to control her body sizes, for she knew that she was the one who needed a transformation in order to adapt to the new environment. Arguably, in some cases we could see that without changes in size (which symbolise the changes in one person, either physically or mentally), it would be an impossible task for the main character to adjust herself to the surroundings. Remember that without becoming smaller, she could not pass through the small door and reached the lovely garden. At the end of the story, Alice grew into a giant at the trial even though she didn’t take in any mushroom. It hints that she had already matured and was dare to fight against the injustice in the adult world.
Throughout the story, there are occasional oblique references to death. What purpose do these references serve in the stories, and why might Carroll include them?
From my perspective, I think the author is trying to point out that death is inevitable, even in wonderland. The process of growing is continuous, and only death can stop this. Indeed, mortality is emphasised in this novel. This can be exemplified by Alice’s concern. When she was falling down the rabbit hole, she put the marmalade jar back into one of the cupboards so that the jar would not drop and kill somebody. Besides, the author brought out the message of death probably because he would like to remind the readers about the perils of childhood. Children are vulnerable and always exposed to dangers due to their ignorance and their rebellious behaviour to follow rules. Apparently, Alice was much wiser, as she checked the bottle label before she drank the liquid within. She also recalled what she had read, mostly about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, because they didn’t obey the rules.
What role does the garden play in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
The lovely garden seemed to be the destination to where Alice would like to travel due to her curiosity. But I suppose that the garden actually symbolises the real adult world. As an ordinary child, Alice would be so eager to reach adulthood, as she imagined the bright flowers and cool fountains in the garden. When she finally arrived at the garden, everything turned to be different. No scented flowers, no sparkling water fountains, but only a pack of cards. The ruler, but more accurately, the wife of the real ruler was an autocrat yet a despot. The Queen of Hearts led the country in a cruel way and her people were terrified of her. All these might reflect the real façade of the adult world, which is complicated and cruel, but not as beautiful as most of the children think.
Discuss the significance of the Queen of Hearts in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Apparently, the Queen of Hearts is the main antagonist in the story, who was cruel, irrational, and hot-tempered, besides abusing her power of authority. She could be considered as the “trouble maker” in the real adult world, since she was the one who created chaos and fear in everyone. When Alice came to the garden and encountered her, she was ordered to follow every rules set by the Queen. Consequently, Alice felt that all the rules were kind of ridiculous, while she totally disagree with the Queen’s actions and decisions, especially during the trial. Finally, Alice grew into her full size, fought against the Queen and claimed that, “You’re nothing but a pack of cards!” From a different angle of view, the presence of the Queen is significant, for this catalyses the process of maturation in Alice.
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