Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Without intention, the copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that I read, was an annotated version.  Very early on, I decided I could either stop and read each note or just read for the sake of pure enjoyment.  Not sure if I was just being slothful, but I opted for ignoring the notes for the most part.  The notes I did read, however, were quite informative and perhaps I chose the wrong approach…

This book brought back great memories of my mom reading this book and pointing out the wonderful images to me.  How can anyone resist a book with such intriguing illustrations?

I was also having great difficulty getting the Jefferson Airplane “Go Ask Alice” song out of my head.  This was not necessarily a bad thing…

So there’s Alice, of course, a bored little girl outside with her sister who is reading a book “without pictures or conversations.”  Surely no one would be interested in a book about a young girl doing nothing, but a tale inspired by a spunky lass with a vivid imagination is quite another story, indeed.

Young Alice’s ennui takes her from her sister’s side to a wonderland where she encounters some very interesting characters.  Rather than being alarmed, she is intrigued and open to eating or drinking concoctions that make her grow small and large.  She is quick to speak her mind and certainly does not contain her annoyance with others.  Her youth serves as an ally as she fears little and questions most everything she encounters.  I really, really, really liked Alice.

The Queen of Hearts oft repeating “Off with his/her head” is more bark than bite.  A totally self involved woman, she is Alice’s antithesis, noticing little and judging quickly without question.  Like a whirling dervish, she causes commotions and leaves chaos in her trail.  Not someone I’d seek out willingly.

The Dodo, purportedly Mr. Carrol’s alter ego, is somewhat of a wordsmith, yet is misunderstood by nearly everyone, Alice included.  Perhaps Mr. Carroll’s stutter made him feel misunderstood and here I’ll include the note referencing his Dodo character;

the Dodo is Lewis Carroll himself.  When Carroll, (my note-whose name was actually Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), stammered he pronounced his name “Do-Do-Dogson” and it is amusing to note that when his biography entered the Encyclopaedia Britannica it was inserted just before the entry on the Dodo.

I’m quite sure I’d enjoy spending time with Mr. Carroll.  Rather than being intimidated by a man of so many talents, which include photography, mathematics, inventions and, of course, writing, I believe I’d enjoy his whimsy and keen eye for detail.  Perhaps we could stroll through some woods and share our perceptions of the great out doors.

My rating for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is an 8 out of 10.

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Next up, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games…

Tagged: Literature, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games