Here is a collection of interesting articles about Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll as well as some articles about books and literature in general.
A closer look at the Alice in Wonderland characters
This delightful and timeless story is not simply a light-hearted tale, but a smorgasbord of controversy and depth of meaning. The illustrations are easily recognised and the storyline is well known, but sometimes the meaning behind the characters can be a little ambiguous.
There is a great deal of deviation between the original two books `Alice`s Adventures in Wonderland` and `Through the Looking Glass` and the film versions of `Alice in Wonderland`. Some of the characters that only appear in the sequel, such as the Jabberwocky, creep into the film versions.
Although the films and the original stories may differ, the general importance of each character is maintained in the adaptations.
It is often suggested that the character of Alice is based on Alice Liddell, a young companion of Carroll and is a representation of the confusion and dangers of childhood.
The Caterpillar that Alice meets is quite an intimidating character, but ultimately he is a representation of education and the benefit of intuition. Similarly, the Cheshire Cat has a great influence over Alice through the enlightenment it shows to her.
Although it is a very detached and uncontrollable character it helps Alice to understand the ultimate meaning of Wonderland. Similarly ludicrous is the character of the Mad Hatter, who is eternally stuck at teatime. He is often rude and rarely makes sense, yet he is quite a well loved character. It is sometimes suggested that the use of this character is making a suggestion about class distinctions, but this is very loosely based on the Mad Hatter.
The Queen of Hearts is often confused with the Red Queen from the sequel, although the characters share very few similarities. Carroll`s exact intentions with this character are unclear, but it is suggested that she is supposed to represent a passion without direction. This could be a female commentary or a questioning of the sanity of ultimate power. The White Rabbit is one of the sanest of all the characters and is designed to be a contrast to the youth and confidence of Alice`s character. It has also been suggested that he is based on Alice Liddell`s father.
The meanings behind each of the Alice in Wonderland characters is ambiguous and is often corrupted by the controversial nature of Lewis Carroll himself. However, underneath all the controversy and hidden meanings of the plot and characters, this classic tale is simply a story and the joy it brings to children and adults alike cannot be overlooked.
Alice in Wonderland is more popular than ever – From Mad Hatter Tea Sets to a Disney Movie
by Tuula Olin in EzineArticles
The old classic tale from Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is getting more and more popular these days. The story is still appealing to children and adults alike even though it was first written in 1864. Alice in Wonderland is not just any ordinary child fiction. This classic story is full of philosophy and truisms. The absurdity of the plot is enthralling and this is why it has such a great fan base all over the world.
Young children love it because of curious characters and the feeling of adventure. But teenagers and young adults are looking for the darker side of Alice. They find alternative and deeper meanings in this story, which make young adults even more curious about the eccentric Wonderland.
Alice in Wonderland has thousands of fans who gather in discussion forums and blogs to ponder upon the storyline and the odd characters. Many are making their own films and plays adding their own interpretations along the way. The story has found its way into the hearts of countless people and it has triggered their interest to research the life of its writer Lewis Carroll as well as his other publications and writings. Others have put their devotion into collecting Alice merchandise and paraphernalia. Alice has inspired a restaurant décor in Tokyo and a tourist attraction centre in the UK.
Certainly the new film of Alice in Wonderland, a new Disney production which will be directed by Tim Burton, is adding its buzz to the popularity of the story. Truly there must be something extra special in the story because it attracts many Hollywood stars including Johnny Depp to the extent that they will jump to the opportunity of being part of the film cast.
The hype around Alice seems to be ever increasing and diversifying. Soon there will be no child in the western world that hasn’t had a chance to enjoy Alice in Wonderland in one form or another.
SEE ALSO > 101 Famous Quotes From Alice In Wonderland Interactive eBook
Common sense review of Alice in Wonderland
Reviewed by Monica Wyatt
Though there are many video versions, and a lot of simplified retellings, all kids deserve to know the story as Lewis Carroll wrote it. But it takes a particular kind of child to enjoy this — complex language, nonsense, and the lack of a sensible plot are not to every child’s taste, especially these days.
Wonderland has no rules, not even the decrees of the Queen. Alice simply accepts her situation and plays along, and that’s all readers need do. The difficulty and complexity of Carroll’s writing and ideas mean that the book needs to be thoughtfully read aloud by an adult; few children will read this through on their own. When read aloud, the rhythmic poems can delight kids just for their sounds and silly images.
The book works on two levels: as a delightful children’s fantasy and as an impish poke in the eye to adults. Alice’s strange new world remains just enough like the polite society of Victorian England that we can recognize it. But the crazed subterranean civilization isn’t terribly polite, allowing adults to understand much of the book as satire.
Of course, kids usually don’t see satire in the book. They just enjoy the nonsense. If you’ve forgotten how to do that, Alice In Wonderland can help you remember.
CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE Film Review – December 23, 1933
By Mae Tinée
“Film of Alice In Wonderland Is Like Reading Carroll’s Book”
“Critic Praises Intelligence of Production”
Good Morning!
This morning we have with us a very famous little girl! Her name is Alice, and over on the McVickers screen she steps through a looking glass and visits Wonderland . . .
“Alice in Wonderland,” the movie, you see, combines the openings of both Lewis Carroll’s books – for Alice not only steps “through a looking glass,” she also follows the white rabbit down the hole. All of this being because, as Charlotte [Alice] Henry recently explained, the fans who wrote in were undecided as to which of the books they wanted filmed.
The amusing fantasy of Alice and her quaint, fabled friends has been brought to the screen with care and intelligence. You never saw such verity. It’s for all the world like turning the pages of the book and seeing Sir John Tenniel’s drawings in action. A marvelous achievement of makeup and settings!
Those there be who think the film would have been far more amusing with Alice as the only human in the cast and the other characters portrayed by Disney cartoons which was, originally, Mary Pickford’s far-sighted notion. Be this as may, there are few who will have heart or nerve to criticize severely anything as workmanlike as the characterizations evolved by the brilliant cast with the aid of their perfectly stupendous makeup.
Though remarkable disguised, the personalities of many of the players shine through their camouflage – and it’s fun trying to figure out those you can’t recognize. You couldn’t be fooled on Cary Grant as he sings the Mock Turtle song – and who else but Gary Cooper [or the prince of Wales] could be the White Knight, who has such difficulty staying astride his noble steed?
Then there’s Sterling Holloway as the Frog Footman, and none other than Alison Skipworth is the Ugly Duchess who dandles on her knee the awful baby that turns into a pig . . . As for Charlotte Henry – the girl who was chosen from hosts of applicants for the part – she’s a marvel! Just your dream of Alice come true, with her long curls, her alert eyes, her sudden illuminating smile – and the complete seriousness with which she accepts her unprecedented adventures.
Little Miss Henry has a lovely speaking voice and sings “Father William” most delightfully.
The picture opens on a snowy afternoon in a quiet English parlor. Here, a bored little girl petitions her busily tatting governess to let her go out.
No.
Do you think the snow will stop soon, Miss Simpson?”
Miss Simpson doesn’t know. Why doesn’t Alice do some work on her sampler? Alice doesn’t want to. She wanders about disconsolately, at last flinging herself into an easy chair with a book and her kitten on her lap. She is very drowsy . . .
The fire crackles. The snow drifts. Miss Simpson tiptoes out. And Alice steps through the looking glass . . .
Here is the cleanly, imaginative, classical, amusing sort of film parents have been importuning for. If they don’t take themselves and their children to see “Alice in Wonderland” they’ll be ungrateful, to say the least.
The importance of reading to children
Written by Constance Anderson, Teacher
Growing up, my parents read a story to me every night. I always assumed it was the standard in every child’s bedtime routine across the country. As a teacher with my degree in Early Childhood Education, I know the importance of reading to children. The benefits associated with a simple daily bedtime story seem endless. Imagine my amazement when I read the statistic stating that only 39% of parents read to their children on a daily basis (Young, Davis, and Schoen, 1996).
In a word, I was flabbergasted. I’ve witnessed the struggling readers and the impact that has on their daily lives. When a child has difficulties reading, everything in school suffers as a result. Would something as simple as a daily ten minute bedtime story interaction between a parent and child prevent these kids from struggling throughout their school years? Could it really be that simple? I want parents to know how vital it is to read to their children everyday.
Benefits:
1. Teaches Basic Reading and Writing Skills
When children are being read to, they are taking in so much at once. Simple things experienced readers may take for granted are introduced during the first few years of life while listening to a story. Children who are familiar with books know how to hold a book and turn the pages from left to right. They know that the book has a title.
Pre-readers also understand that the book contains pictures and words and they start distinguishing words and letters. They begin to recognize that the printed text is read from right to left and top to bottom, which is directly related to beginning writing skills. School districts expect children to be reading simple word texts by the end of kindergarten, and having these basic skills can propel them toward success.
2. Teaches Basic Listening Skills
It’s true, as I experience it in the classroom everyday. Some children don’t have the ability to sit still long enough to listen to a story. It can be possible that some children may have trouble because of a disability, but others may simply lack the insight to what story time is all about. Making story time at home a daily, fun and engaging activity can encourage children to get excited about story time at school which can also discourage behavior issues.
3. Promotes Vocabulary and Language Skills
Just think of all the new words children hear from books. Our daily conversations do not require much use of complex language or vocabulary and can hinder the development of a child’s oral language. Reading to a child can introduce so many new words, especially nonfiction titles. Children’s literature provides great models of language for children. In hearing the flow of the writing and the innovative words, especially in repeated readings of the same text, can nurture children’s language development.
4. Builds Knowledge of the World
As in language development, reading exposes children to worlds of new information. As a teacher, I used books to teach children about a topic, such as a place, or a person, or a topic. The amount of information a child can learn from books is never-ending, which leads into the next benefit.
5. Fosters a Love of Reading
Enabling children to enjoy reading is one of the most important gifts a parent can do. Kids will learn reading skills in school, but they will come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they may lose their desire to read, effecting their schoolwork and desire to learn. When a parent shares an exciting story with a child, and in turn, gets excited with the child, the parent is showing how much fun reading can be. Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook, encourages parents to lead by example by stating; “Make sure your children see you reading for pleasure other than at read-aloud time. Share with them your enthusiasm for whatever you are reading”.
6. Encourages Parent-Child Bonding
Reading aloud also creates a special time for parents to bond with their children. Cuddling together for a bedtime story, you’ll be helping your children develop a lifelong appreciation for reading. (Reading Aloud, n.d.) Builds Self-Esteem Children often want to hear the same story over and over. Just as adults may need to hear something more than once to remember or understand, children are the same way.
Trelease (2001) makes a very interesting point, “Those of us who have seen a movie more than once fully realize how many subtleties escaped us the first time. Even more so with children and books”. He also points out that repeated readings can turn a child into an expert on a particular book. The child feels good about himself and connects that good feeling with reading (Trelease, (2001).
