Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll

[rath010]

Lewis Caroll's classic book The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland is a children's novel that focuses on the travels of a young girl, Alice through the wonderful world of her imagination. Through her adventures, Alice encounters many unique characters that seem to represent conundrums she recognizes about herself. She is exposed to adventures that challenge her thinking and promote her creativity - all the while making the reader feel as though she is a wonderful land that could truly exist for all of us.

One of the things I remember from this children's novel is how far it strays from the Disney animated film. I am a large fan of the animated classic, however the film portrays Alice's journey in a way that makes you question the sanity of Alice. The book, however, builds Alice up as a very young child who is full of imagination and has a habit of talking to herself - as most young children do. Wonderland is an imagined place of nonsense that leaves Alice frustrated and confused. Ironically, Carroll is playing on the feelings of young children as they grow up learning customs of our society which can be both frustrating, and seemingly nonsensical! I think it's a clever writing and done well by an author who has a knack for imagining up worlds.

If you have only based your opinion of Alice off of the Disney films (animated or not), I highly encouraged picking up this book and seeing how cleverly developed the story really is. "Through the Looking-Glass" is also worth a read as it depicts the idea of battle and war, as seen in some later Alice films.

[Nitatsu7]

Ironically, I was frustrated while watching Disney's variant the other day. It definitely put the angle that she was insane not the perception I got from the book. Like you were saying here, it plays off a childs views of the crazy world adults have made around them and the way a child handles situations when given very little guidance or self-help. Things can escalate quickly.

[rath010]

I think it was meant to be more of a child's dream world rather than a twisted nightmare or a drug-addled brain. Then, of course, Tim Burton gets his hands on it and it was ruined for me beyond repair!

[ladybug31]

I think it was meant to be more of a child's dream world rather than a twisted nightmare or a drug-addled brain. Then, of course, Tim Burton gets his hands on it and it was ruined for me beyond repair!

Loved Alice's Adventures in Wonderland! Tim Burton did ruin it. Luckily, I watched the Disney film many years before I read the book. My philosophy professor was talking the other day about doing a class on the philosophy in Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass so I may have to reread it soon