Alice in Wonderland …

I finished reading the original Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

I have not researched Lewis Carroll, and do not know his lot in life, but I can only assume that Lewis was not your normal run of the mill lad in the late 19th century.

I think even by today’s standards if he came out with this little gem, people might have tapped the glass on the side of his medicated syringe, and said soothing things like “It will be alright Lewis … just have a little sleep…” and then given him a large shot of anti-psychotic straight into his neck.

The most memorable part for me – and no doubt if I read it again, I would find another nugget to take with me – Alice meeting the Duchess.

The Duchess’s baby sneezes constantly and the reaction of the Duchess.  One can only conclude he has probably suffered quite a bit at the Duchess’s hands. Taking pity on him, Alice spirits him away, only to find that he has transformed into a pig.

It is never explained why this happens, but Alice looks on the bright side, concluding that while the baby wasn’t a very attractive baby, it makes for a good-looking pig.

I enjoyed the story.  I do not think it is something I would read to a child and then try to explain it.  I may well end up trying to explain this one for longer than the actual story progresses.

Makes me feel that maybe I am a bit more sane than Lewis, which is great if you are in people-who-are-nuttier-than-you mode.

I do love the Tim Burton movie – probably one of my favourite movies.  I adored Johnny Depp as the MadHatter in it and the divine Helena Bonham was fantastic as the Queen.  But it is one of those things you watch, and just try not to wrap your mind around too tightly.  Because then your head starts to hurt.

I probably liked the representation of the Cheshire Cat the least in Tim Burton’s movie – it was probably because for me he is such a strong character in the story, but I did not like the way he was represented/rendered in the movie.

The Cheshire Cat has so many great lines throughout the book (and the movie), one of the ones I like the most are:  “Every adventure requires a first step. Trite, but true, even here.”

I saw this cartoon by the brilliant SeeMikeDraw and thought it was a suitable alternate outcome to the trials and tribulations of young Alice …

Acknowledge image source: http://seemikedraw.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/i-found-a-strange-bottle-labelled-drink-me-so-i-drank-it-when-i-awoke-id-drawn-this-cartoon/

Posted by reluctantmom on December 7, 2011

https://reluctantmom.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/alice-in-wonderland/