Receiving Helpdesk

alice in wonderland book summary

by Stephany Luettgen Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

What is the book Alice in Wonderland actually called?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 English children's tale by Lewis Carroll (a pseudonym of Charles Dodgson). A young girl named Alice falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures. It is seen as a prime example of the literary nonsense genre. Its play with logic gives the story lasting popularity with adults as well as ...

Should I read Alice in Wonderland?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has worked as an inspiration for a lot of other books and movies. You should read Alice in Wonderland to know the original and understand the new works more fully. Interpreted in it your own way. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland can be interpreted in many ways! Some might be more crazy than others.

Is Alice in Wonderland a book of literary merit?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; Analytical Essay Any story of literary merit must have some sort of lasting appeal that allows it to ascend the generations and appeal to a wide variety of cultures, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a fine example.

Does Alice in Wonderland have family in the book?

Throughout Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, little has been said about her family. In the beginning Alice is sitting with her sister. That is all that mentions any of Alice’s human family members. Although, from time to time Alice talks about her cat, Dinah. Why has Carroll kept us in the dark about her family?

What is the summary of Alice in Wonderland book?

Published in 1865, the book lampoons the moralistic and hypocritical Victorian era. Alice, a child, discovers the nonsensical and nightmarish world of adults. Her painful growing and shrinking experiences are a symbol of puberty and the confusing search for a new identity.

What are the main events in Alice in Wonderland?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Story TimelineAlice goes down the rabbit hole.Alice fails to get into the special garden.Alice drinks a mystery drink and shrinks.Alice eats a cake and grows large.Alice cries and makes a pool of tears in the room.Alice fans herself with the White Rabbit's fan and shrinks again.More items...•

What is the ending of Alice in Wonderland?

The end of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland includes one additional scene. After Alice wakes up, she tells her adventures to her sister. Alice herself runs off gleefully, and for a moment the reader is left alone with the sister, recalling all the strange characters and weird happenings of Wonderland.

What mental illness does Alice in Wonderland have?

zooming at some topics of this novel, we come up to understand that Little Alice suffers from Hallucinations and Personality Disorders, the White Rabbit from General Anxiety Disorder “I'm late”, the Cheshire Cat is schizophrenic, as he disappears and reappears distorting reality around him and subsequently driving ...

What is Alice in Wonderland about?

Alice in Wonderland Summary. Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She falls for a long time, and finds herself in a long hallway full of doors. There is also a key on the table, which unlocks a tiny door; through this door, ...

What does Alice eventually find in the woods?

She eventually finds a little cake which, when eaten, makes her small again. In the wood again, she comes across a Caterpillar sitting on a mushroom. He gives her some valuable advice, as well as a valuable tool: the two sides of the mushroom, which can make Alice grow larger and smaller as she wishes.

What cat does Alice meet in the woods?

Alice takes the baby with her, but the child turns into a pig and trots off into the woods. Alice next meets the Cheshire cat (who was sitting in the Duchess's house, but said nothing). The Cheshire cat helps her to find her way through the woods, but he warns her that everyone she meets will be mad. Alice goes to the March Hare 's house, ...

What does Alice do when she pokes her head into a tree?

The first time she uses them, she stretches her body out tremendously. While stretched out, she pokes her head into the branches of a tree and meets a Pigeon. The Pigeon is convinced that Alice is a serpent, and though Alice tries to reason with her the Pigeon tells her to be off.

Who takes Alice to the mock turtle?

The Queen takes Alice to the Gryphon, who in turn takes Alice to the Mock Turtle. The Gryphon and the Mock Turtle tell Alice bizarre stories about their school under the sea. The Mock Turtles sings a melancholy song about turtle soup, and soon afterward the Gryphon drags Alice off to see the trial of the Knave of Hearts.

What game does the Queen play in Wonderland?

The Queen invites Alice to play croquet, which is a very difficult game in Wonderland, as the balls and mallets are live animals. The game is interrupted by the appearance of the Cheshire cat, whom the King of Hearts immediately dislikes. The Queen takes Alice to the Gryphon, who in turn takes Alice to the Mock Turtle.

When was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland published?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, widely beloved British children’s book by Lewis Carroll, published in 1865. With its fantastical tales and riddles, it became one of the most popular works of English-language fiction. It was notably illustrated by British artist ...

Who is the dancer in Alice in Wonderland?

It inspired numerous films, theatrical performances, and ballets as well as countless works of scholarly analysis. Lauren Cuthbertson (centre) dances as Alice in the British Royal Ballet's much-anticipated Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in February 2011. The world premiere ballet, a joint production with the National Ballet of Canada, ...

Who choreographed Alice in Wonderland?

The world premiere ballet, a joint production with the National Ballet of Canada, featured Christopher Wheeldon 's choreography and a score by Joby Talbot. Lewis Carroll's characters from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are still some of the most popular in the world.

Who wrote Alice's Adventures Under Ground?

Alice asked Carroll to write out the stories for her, and in response he produced a hand-lettered collection entitled Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. A visitor to the Liddell home saw the storybook and thought it should be published, so Carroll revised and expanded it.

What does the Gryphon take Alice to?

Later, at the Queen’s behest, the Gryphon takes Alice to meet the sobbing Mock Turtle, who describes his education in such subjects as Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Alice is then called as a witness in the trial of the Knave of Hearts, who is accused of having stolen the Queen’s tarts. However, when the Queen demands that Alice ...

What is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland full of?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is full of parody and satire. And in Chapter III, Victorian history is Carroll's target. The mouse offers to dry the other creatures and Alice by telling them a very dry history of England.

What chapter does Alice meet the sovereigns of Wonderland?

Chapters VIII to X introduce Alice to the most grimly evil and most irrational people (and actions) in the novel. Alice meets the sovereigns of Wonderland, who display a perversely hilarious rudeness not matched by anyone except possibly by the old screaming Duchess.

What is Alice's dream?

In a dream, Alice has escaped from the dull and boring and prosaic world of adulthood — a world of dull prose and pictureless experiences; she has entered what seems to be a confusing, but perpetual springtime of physical, if often terrifying, immediacy.

What animal did Alice encounter in Wonderland?

Slowly losing interest in her sister's book, Alice catches sight of a white rabbit.

What is the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland?

However, he is not merely a rabbit; he will be the "White Rabbit," a major character in the novel. In this first paragraph, then, we learn about the protagonist, Alice, her age, her temperament, and the setting and the mood of the story.

How tall is Alice in Alice in Wonderland?

The chapter ends with Alice at last entering the garden by eating more of the mushroom that the Caterpillar was sitting on. Alice is now about a foot tall. Chapters VIII to X introduce Alice to the most grimly evil and most irrational people (and actions) in the novel.

What causes Alice to be mistaken for an egg-eating serpent?

The effect of this spurt upward causes her to be mistaken for an egg-eating serpent by an angry, vicious pigeon. In Chapters VI and VII, Alice meets the foul-tempered Duchess, a baby that slowly changes into a pig, the famous, grinning Cheshire-Cat, the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, and the very, very sleepy Dormouse.

Who is Alice in Wonderland named after?

Carroll himself appears as the Dodo, whose stutter matched his own, and Alice is probably named for and modeled after Alice Liddell, the young daughter of family friends of Carroll’s.

What is the jury in Alice in Wonderland?

The trial it for the Knave of Hearts, who’s been accused of stealing the Queen’s tarts. The jury is composed of animals. During the trial, Alice begins to grow larger. When Alice is called to testify, she knocks over the jury box. The Queen orders Alice to leave, but Alice refuses. The Queen orders the cards to attack Alice, but Alice is unafraid.

What does the caterpillar tell Alice about the mushroom?

The Caterpillar tells Alice that one side of the mushroom will make her grow, the other shrink, so she breaks off some from each side. It takes some experimentation, but she uses the mushroom to reach an acceptable height as she reaches the grounds of a small estate.

What causes Alice to cry?

She drinks from a bottle labeled “Drink Me,” which causes her to shrink to a tiny size. Alice then eats a cake labeled “Eat Me,” and begins to get larger—so large she hits her head on the ceiling, causing her to cry. She begins shrinking again, and has to swim through her tears.

What game does Alice play in?

Alice joins a game of croquet, which becomes chaotic very quickly. The Queen orders the Cheshire Cat’s beheading, but the executioner explains it’s impossible. The Duchess, who had been in prison, is released and brought to the croquet grounds. The Queen threatens Alice again, and sends her away with the Gryphon, ...

What does the Queen order Alice to do?

The Queen orders Alice to leave, but Alice refuses. The Queen orders the cards to attack Alice, but Alice is unafraid. As they move in on her, Alice’s sister wakes her, telling Alice it was all a dream. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a mix of absurdity and social commentary. Many of the characters bear strong resemblance to important people ...

What happens when Alice enters the house?

When Alice enters the house she begins growing. Animals from outside stare at her arm as it pokes out of the house, and they throw stones at Alice. The stones turn into cake, and when she eats them, she shrinks again. While walking, Alice meets a Caterpillar sitting on a mushroom and smoking a hookah.

Who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Author: Lewis Carroll. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (often called only “Alice in Wonderland”) is a children fantasy book, written in 1865. The plot has circuit structure, beginning with Alice’s dream, and ending by her waking up, so we can observe all of her adventures in Wonderland as a dream.

What happened to Alice in the book?

Alice was tired of boredom and heat, and while she was thinking about making flower wreaths, she got interrupted by the talking rabbit who passed by, wearing a tail-coat and a watch. While rabbit was criticizing himself for being late, Alice decided to follow him, but he disappeared into the lair of a bush.

Why did Alice give the turtle her hat?

Alice found out that the turtle lost the bet of winning the White Rabbit in the race, so she had to give him her hat, her symbol of dignity. Alice tried to cheer her up, but the turtle remained broken-hearted as the Hatter Bill refused to make her a new hat.

Why did Alice get the impression of her being an ad person?

Alice got the impression of her being an ad person because the Dutchess keep throwing things around and yelled when they first met.

Why did Alice follow the rabbit into the hole?

Alice followed him into the hole, but she was scared because she fell deeper. She kept on falling into darkness, unaware of the speed, time, and distance of her fall.

Why is Alice falling down so slowly?

The fall itself is described as especially strange and astonishing, because Alice is falling down very slowly, unaware of the passing time or distance, and she was even able to sleep for a while.

What was the caterpillar smoking in Alice's mushrooms?

At the top of one mushroom was a caterpillar smoking a hookah, who advised Alice telling her the Dutchess isn’t important at all, and the Queen is ruling the army of paper playing cards.

What is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland about?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: summary. The novel begins with a young girl named Alice, who is bored with a book she is reading outside, following a smartly-dressed rabbit down a rabbit hole. She falls a long way until she finds herself in a room full of locked doors. However, she finds a key, but it’s for a door that’s too small for her.

What does Alice see in the letter?

Alice sees a fish, working as a footman, delivering an invitation for the Duchess who lives at the house; he hands the letter to a frog who is working as the Duchess’ footman. Alice goes inside the house again. The Cheshire Cat appears in a tree, directing her to the March Hare’s house.

What does the Queen accuse Alice of?

The Queen accuses Alice of stealing the tarts and once more demands her head. Alice stands up to them, and as the playing cards advance on her, she is wakened from her dream, and finds her sister shaking her: the playing cards have become leaves that have fallen on her. She is back in the real world.

What is the famous anecdote about Lewis Carroll and Queen Victoria?

There is a famous anecdote about Lewis Carroll and Queen Victoria: Victoria enjoyed Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) so much that she requested a first edition of Carroll’s next book. Carroll duly sent her a copy of the next book he published – a mathematical work with the exciting title An Elementary Treatise on Determinants.

What does the Gryphon tell Alice about the mock turtle?

A Gryphon takes Alice to meet the Mock Turtle, who tells Alice he used to be a real turtle and is now sad because he was mocked when young. The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon then dance to the Lobster Quadrille. The Queen of Hearts demands Alice’s head be removed: ‘Off with her head!’.

What happened to Alice in the Tarts?

She is summoned as a witness at the trial, but she has grown so big now that she accidentally knocks over the jury box containing the animals on the jury. The Queen accuses Alice of stealing the tarts and once more demands her head.

What does the white rabbit order Alice to do?

The White Rabbit orders Alice to go into the house and find the gloves belonging to a duchess. Alice finds another potion in the house, which makes her grow large again when she drinks it. When animals hurl stones at her, these turn into cakes and she eats them, returning to her normal size.

What chapter does Alice and the Duchess walk together?

Alice and the Duchess (who's been reprieved from execution) stroll around the garden together until the Queen commands A... Read More. Chapter 10. Though the Mock Turtle is crying almost too hard to talk, it manages to sob out that Alice has probably never heard of a...

How tall is Alice in the Magic Cake?

Read More. Eating the magic cake makes Alice shoot up to nine feet tall. She can easily reach the golden key, but once again, she's...

What happens in Chapter 11 of The Gryphon?

Read More. Chapter 12. Alice jumps to her feet, knocking over the jury box in her hurry. Hastily, she replaces all the creatures who have falle...

Summary

Read our full plot summary and analysis of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, scene by scene break-downs, and more.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and in-depth analyses of Alice, The Cheshire Cat, and The Queen of Hearts.

Literary Devices

Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes.

Quick Quizzes

Test your knowledge of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.

Essays

Get ready to ace your Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland paper with our suggested essay topics, helpful essays about historical and literary context, a sample A+ student essay, and more.

Further Study

Go further in your study of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9