Abstract This paper explains that Lewis Carroll and Edgar Allan Poe have both developed strong relationships with children; but Carroll's focus on children was a healthy one, whereas Poe's was not. The author points out that Poe can be viewed as a troubled man whose childhood caused him to develop significant problems in his view of women and relationships, which can be seen in his poetry and short stories. The paper stresses that Carroll's relationships with children are healthy ones where he relates well to children and feels a genuine fatherly care for children as seen in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".
From the Paper "The only question that remains to be answered in regards to Carroll is why his interest was mainly in young girls, and did not extend to young boys. This is a point that can be suggestive of Carroll having a perverse interest in young girls. Once again, though, the content of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" provides the logical answer. The interesting thing about "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is that all of the images presented are more female-focused than male-focused. Obviously, the main character is female. But there is also the white rabbit, the Cheshire cat, and the tea party. Overall, these seem to be images more feminine than masculine. The suggested reason for these images is that masculine images would tend to be more brutal. A tea party is a typical game for girls to play. The equivalent for boys might be playing war games, or more physical sports."
Abstract This paper argues that the treatment of reality and fantasy in works by Lewis Carroll is unique in the annals of literature, for never has it been accomplished with such an effectiveness, subtlety, delicacy and poignancy. The paper first outlines the realms of reality and fantasy, before positing a commentary on the treatment, the juxtaposition and the eventual merging of these existential states in the earlier set of works by Lewis Carroll. The works considered are: "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass".
From the Paper "Looking at these works, an extremely interesting fact emerges. The author has made use of a skillful set of frames in the narration of works that aspire almost to the status of epics. Literary frames are devices that enable an author to activate various levels of demarcation in a work, enabling the author himself to remain relatively discrete of his own work. The first frame used in 'Alice in Wonderland' is the concept of a dream into which Alice tumbles, thus entering the world of Wonderland. The figure of the White Rabbit, the harbinger of chaos, a denizen from the other world setting foot into this one is the first element of fantasy that one finds in the book."
Abstract This paper relates that Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" is the quintessential portmanteau allegory with themes ranging from evolution, growing up in an adult world, class structure in Victorian society, meaning and manners and human sexuality; however, the glue that holds these themes together is the plasticity of reality and the subjectivity of meaning. The author points out that in "Alice in Wonderland", the device of the rabbit hole, which establishes the entire underground setting of the book, replicates the cave in the "Allegory of the Cave" from Plato's "Republic" because control, enlightenment and freedom are all prominent in both allegories. The paper explains that many of the bizarre images in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" are actually literal--or actually figurative since they involve figures--expressions of figurative expressions, which are actually literal because they involve letters and words. Long quotations.
Table of Contents
Alice in PlatoLand: The Allegory of Wonder
The Cave
Properties of the Forms
Forms in "Alice in Wonderland"
Factor of the Mathematical Pun on 'Remain'
From the Paper "An allegory employs a literal story to convey a figurative meaning. Through allegory, a more complex subject or idea is described in terms of that of a lower which is made out to resemble it in properties and circumstances, the principal subject remains obscure leaving the reader to make the connection between the secondary and the primary subjects. The subject of both Plato and Carroll's allegories is appearance and reality---or the good or the true."
Abstract The paper discusses that the reader may discover insights about himself and the world amidst the gobbledygook of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". The author believes that Carroll uses language, such as puns and linguistic play, as a tool with which he introduced the reader to ideas often times overshadowed by nonsense. The paper explains that nonsensical events such as the Mad Hatter's tea party and the Knave's trial, have a deeper meaning in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".
From the Paper "Through the character of Alice, Carroll provides readers with knowledge of Victorian people, as well as our personal struggles to mature and find our true identities. Amidst the madness in Wonderland, Alice remains her rational self, concerned with reciting her lessons so that others will appreciate her being well educated. However, what she recites is ?"not quite right . . . [because] some of the words have got altered"? (Carroll 49). Alice's fretting over saying her lessons correctly is Carroll's way of satirizing Victorian education. One critic points out that Alice's swimming in the pool of tears she has wept is ? . . . [Carroll?s] making an astute observation on Victorian education, notably that the acquisition of knowledge and guilt over assumed transgression often accompany each other . . .? ."
Abstract This paper briefly describes the education, family life and political career of Charles Carroll, as well as how he helped promote the independence of the American colonies and his role in the Declaration of Independence.
From the Paper "Charles Carroll was born into a wealthy Roman Catholic family in Annapolis Maryland on September 19, 1737. Charles Carroll was sent to school at the Jesuits at Bohemia on Harmon's Manor in Maryland at the age of 10 years. One of his fellow students was his cousin, John Carroll, who was later Archbishop of Baltimore. The following year, 1748, they both crossed the ocean to the Jesuit College at St-Omer in French Flanders, where Charles remained for 6 years. After a year at the college of the Jesuits at Reims, Carroll entered the College Louis le Grand at Paris. In 1753, Carroll went to Bourges to study civil law where he remained for a year and then returned to Paris until 1757. In this year he took apartments in the Temple, London, where he studied law for several years. In later days he spoke in highest praise of the training he received at St-Omer and the College Louis le Grand. To the former he owed his deep conviction of religious truth, and to the latter his critical ability, his literary style, and the basis for the breadth of knowledge, which made him an invaluable citizen (Hanley 145)."
Abstract This paper begins by presenting an outline and definition of the realms of reality and fantasy. It then posits a commentary on the treatment, the juxtaposition and the eventual merging of reality and fantasy in the earlier set of works by Lewis Carroll. The works considered are "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass".
From the Paper "The treatment of reality and fantasy in works by Lewis Carroll is, shall I say, unique in the annals of literature, for never has it been accomplished with such an effectiveness, subtlety, delicacy and poignancy. The principal idea in this first set of works is one of a visible, palpable and tangible 'transition point', from which the protagonist enters a realm of fantasy from a realm of reality. That 'point de depart', so to speak, is symbolized by the rabbit hole in the first work, and a looking glass in the second, both of which have a special significance as motifs of transition between the planes of reality and fantasy. Once Alice crosses these points, she passes into a realm where logic and reality as she knows it no longer applies. The idea of a definite transition point, through which one may pass in order to get to another realm is a form of subconscious demarcation used by Carroll between reality and fantasy. A portal through which one may pass automatically represents a gateway back from the other realm to this one, thus preserving the integrity of both worlds."
Abstract This paper looks at specific influences in the life of Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) such as split personality disorder, sleep difficulty and Victorian era social problems and examines how they are represented in the story of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". A detailed analysis of the story shows that there are characters, events and symbols that may serve as allegorical representations of the influences in the author's life.
From the Paper "What is the difference between dreaming and pretending? The pretender creates the environment for the action while the dreamer is forced to negotiate an environment that was not consciously created. One of the most celebrated dreams in literature involves a girl named Alice and a place called Wonderland. On a hot July day in 1862, Charles Dodgson began telling a story to three little girls during a boating trip. It was a fantastic tale about a mysterious rabbit hole, talking animals, magic potions and a particularly violent Queen. One of the girls on the trip, Alice Liddell, begged Mr. Dodgson to write down the story for her. The story was written as Alice's Adventures Under Ground, which was later published under the more commonly known name, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Bassett 49). For the causal reader of this fairy tale, it may be hard to imagine how the author created such an outlandish story. The characters are bizarre and often absurd. Nothing in the story seems to be of this world, at least not within the realms of known sciences. However, a detailed analysis of the story shows that there are characters, events and symbols that may serve as allegorical representations of the influences in the author's life. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a story comprised of extra ordinary characters and events that correspond directly to the real life biography of Charles Dodgson."
Abstract The paper offers an analysis of the novels, poems and photographs of Lewis Carroll. The paper includes an argument that his lack of emotional expression with other adults in his life found its outlet in his creative work.
From the Paper "Lewis Carroll is the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, born in England in and best remembered as a writer of books specifically for children. Harmon Carroll was a poet and photographer as well as an author but he also spent years as an Oxford don where he excelled as a teacher of mathematics. Whether through his use of absurd language, his exceptional visual images of children he photographed his preoccupation with numbers or his visual poems. Carroll was a master of imagery."
Tags: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, imagery, poetry, photography, little girls, shaped verse, mathematics, dreams, dream state, unconscious mind
Abstract This essay will examine both Carrol's book and Scott Kalvert's movie and compare and contrast the two. What will be demonstrated is that, although the movie is well-made in that it tells Carrol's story, the power of the diary in the novel as an expressive tool and framing device, which gives testimony to the best and darkest of youthful experiences, is lost in the movie and this lessens the impact and immediacy of Carrol's experiences. Moreover, the movie in turn makes its depictions too broadly and morally; this is a change from the subtle narrative strategy of Carroll, whose power of characterization is the ambiguity of human interaction.
Abstract In Lewis Carroll's novel, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", Carroll creates a satirical impression of human authority. This paper explains how he portrays seemingly powerful characters such as the King and Queen of Hearts as shallow, idiotic, and farcical, while characters such as Alice and the Cheshire-Cat are depicted as knowledgeable, witty characters who possess the real authority in Wonderland. Carroll, through exaggeration, displays the King and Queen of Hearts as somewhat of a parallel to the top of the hierarchy of authority in the real world. The paper looks at how these characters are presented to the reader as abusing power they don?t really possess. It explains how, in the end, Alice, with the help of the Cheshire-Cat, develops as the true figure of authority in Wonderland and symbolizes young children everywhere, showing them that they too can make a difference in the world.
From the Paper "Lewis Carroll develops Alice as a prominent authority figure throughout her tenure in Wonderland. Alice's authority increases in her own mind as she realizes how farcical and illogical the important figures in Wonderland really are. This is quite evident at the mad tea party when Alice is arriving and the Mad Hatter and March Hare claim there is no room but
Alice indignantly says, ?there's plenty of room!,?(Carroll, 60) and sits down in a large armchair
at the head of the table. Alice, here, is showing the characters of Wonderland that they do not intimidate her and she is trying to enforce her own sense of authority over these idiotic beings. The Hatter and the March Hare try to belittle Alice with their remarks but Alice replies to their snide remarks with polite, intelligent responses. This can be manifested when the Hatter and the Hare are rudely commenting on how Alice could use a hair cut and Alice replies, ?you should learn not to make personal remarks . . . it's very rude.?(Carroll, 60). Although the Hatter and the Hare don?t realize it, Alice is establishing herself as a teacher, or leader, that provides a helpful example to children readers with respect to manners and temperament. The idea of Alice's authority in Wonderland is further developed to the point where she can be recognized as the supreme authority figure in Wonderland near the end of the story at the trial regarding the stolen tarts. Alice, at this point, has grown back to her normal size and has no respect for, or fear of the Queen or King of Hearts any longer."
An argument against the views of Harold Bloom regarding William Shakespeare's influence in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," as expressed in his work, "Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human."
Abstract This paper examines mathematics and logic versus the influence of William Shakespeare in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland." The paper specifically analyzes Harold Bloom's work, "Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human" and his views on Shakespeare's influence in Carroll's book. The paper argues against Bloom's view and aims to find not only references to Shakespeare, but also much grander references to Carroll's own discipline of mathematics and logic.
Table of Contents:
Epigraph
Preface
Introduction
Bloom's Argument of Shakespearean Influence
Testing Bloom's Premise: Shakespeare's Influence
Mathematical Influence
Conclusion
From the Paper "By discovering that Wonderland is indeed grounded by the same logical, predictable, mathematical basis as the real world, Alice is saved from the fate of losing faith in her knowledge and reasoning abilities, and hence from the madness which afflicts Wonderland. Similarly, she encounters this logic as she comes into contact with a variety of creatures that she does not understand or whom seem strange to her. The creatures' use of logic allows her to understand how the logic that might make sense to her seems completely illogical to them. Thus, Carroll not only manages to use logic in order to prove both the logic and the illogical, but also, he uses this logic and mathematics to emphasizes his two mains themes, that Alice is saved from the world of the illogical by logical concepts like mathematics and that what one person thinks is logical may be illogical to another and vice versa, the dichotomy of the strangers."
Abstract Chess is an important theme in "Through the Looking Glass". The rules of the game, as well as the characteristics of the pieces, are Carroll's metaphor for society in Victorian England, particularly in caricaturing governmental and public figures. The game is also Carroll's way of conveying that social relations in the Victorian era were an arbitrary, but deadly serious game.
Abstract This paper will discuss the book "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll and seek to understand a particular scene in the book in relation to dream psychology. By looking into the psychological value of the scene, as Carroll has created, we can understand the how the world of Alice, is quite different from that we ourselves live in, it is in essence, a world of psychology to be studied.
Abstract While most adult authors rarely deviate from creating novels that aid in spiritual and educational growth, Lewis Carroll and J. K. Rowling approach teaching children in these areas with very non-traditional techniques that are extremely successful. The paper explains that while Lewis Carroll pokes fun at the adult world, he is able to teach children how to be independent and daring as they grow up. It shows that similarly, J. K. Rowling uses the fantastical element of magic to enhance Harry Potter's world and present him with circumstances that allow him to not only deal with difficult situations but learn from them. The writer shows how each author approaches the child audience with a unique perspective that includes allowing the child reader to grow along with the child protagonist. While "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" may be considered different in style and structure, they are successful in teaching children important lessons that deal with educational and spiritual growth.
From the Paper "Lewis Carroll's technique is unique in that it is not straightforward in its ambitions. Many times, the child reader will be challenged along with Alice in her adventures and learning experiences. This is a deliberate action on Carroll's part, who with his Alice books, created a new way of writing children's literature. In his essay, Lewis Carroll and the Child in Victorian Fiction, Robert Polhemus (1994) claims that Carroll "became a master of what we might call a stream of unconsciousness that others could tap into and use" (Polhemus 1994). His books are significant because they illustrate the "emergence in the nineteenth century of children as subjects in the enterprise of fiction--a key cultural fact that deserves recognition and attention" (Polhemus). In this alternate realm, Carroll is able to teach the child reader by allowing him or her to experience the same challenges that Alice experiences."
Abstract The paper relates that Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" lacks the traditional elements of fairy tales, where there is a prince, a "rags to riches" story line and a beautiful, yet silent princess. The paper highlights how in Carroll's fairy tale, a prince is not the ultimate prize, but the attaining of knowledge of a world that has books without pictures as well as of a greater existence. The paper discusses how although Alice does not show the same ideas of good and evil present in human characters, it can still be classified as a fairy tale since the contrast is between the good and evil worlds. The paper believes that Alice represents a more realistic hero and a protagonist that young girls can actually aspire to be like without demeaning themselves.
From the Paper "For many societies, children are taught the way to function successfully through the art of story telling and fairy tales. It is a conscious decision to fill tales with morality and a clear distinction between good and evil and children will begin to see for the first time what it means to be a human. Tales that have survived for so many years still act as a way of socializing children and providing with them means of conformity. In popular fairy tales such as, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, the female characters in particular come as close to death as possible while still having no agency, but because killing the protagonist will leave the child with a sense of hopelessness, a sleep-like death is the only way to keep her silent."
