Why does Alice still resonate?
Alice in Wonderland: What she can teach us about ourselves
Image credit: Judeus Sampson, Unsplash
Reverend Charles Dodgson wrote the tales of Wonderland about his neighbour, Alice Riddell. Despite being written over a century ago, Little Alice’s adventures continue to inspire people today.
You know the story: Alice is supposed to be learning history but she’s bored with a book which has no pictures. A White Rabbit passes by, Alice follows it, and enters a world where everything is nonsense.
Alice’s story resonates with adults and children because it reminds us of childhood wonder. Our imaginations are sparked with joy, wonder, vivid imagery. The lessons Alice learns stay with us throughout our lives.
Alice often gave herself good advice, though she seldom followed it. – Alice in Wonderland
Here lies the fulcrum of adulthood: How often do you give yourself advice that you never follow through with? How often are you inspired to do something, only to lose interest?
The adventures in Wonderland cater to Alice’s natural curiosity. She follows paths, seeks White Rabbit, asks questions. The answers may be nonsensical, but she asks nonetheless.
When she encounters Cheshire Cat, he unhelpfully tells her:
We’re all mad here.
Cheshire Cat’s assertion that everyone is quite mad in Wonderland contributes to Alice’s unease and distrust of people and animals that she meets.
Image credit: Nicole Baster, Unsplash
So why do we resonate with Alice’s story?
Despite being written in 1865, the tale of Alice is still popular with modern audiences. There are probably several reasons, including the many film adaptations of the novel. Disney’s animated version was released in 1951 and those character versions are still popular today: Walk into any collectibles store and you’ll find a blonde-haired, blue-dressed Alice, a stripy purple Cheshire Cat and any number of items featuring other iconic characters. My current handbag features Alice in the flower garden.
Ultimately, the story of Alice is one we heard in childhood, and the magic of the story doesn’t fade. Whether your favourite version is the 1951 animated classic or the 2010 Tim Burton version, or anything in between, you’re always going to resonate with that part of you and your childhood.
Looking deeper…
Charles Dodgson was also a mathematician and academic. The story of Alice has been analysed hundreds of times and certain themes have been uncovered.
Each piece of media is a product of its time and its producers, although meaning can be assigned to it at any point.
For instance, Alice’s descent into the rabbit hole could be viewed as a descent into madness, even though the character is based on a ten year old girl who was unlikely to be considered mad.
Mathematical concepts are littered throughout the novella, such as chapter 2’s The Pool of Tears. Alice tells herself “nonsensical” mathematical equations like “four times five is twelve”, which plays with the base of numbers. (You’re welcome to research this yourself; maths is definitely not my forte.)
Painting the roses red is probably an allusion to The War of the Roses, where one House was represented by red roses, and another House was represented by white roses. One could argue that painting the roses red could symbolise one’s mistakes and trying to cover them up.
The possibilities are endless.
Magic
Whatever your personal interpretation of Alice and her adventures, Wonderland represents that place within all of us where imagination lies and inspiration lives. Wonderland is that place where nothing makes sense, defies logic, yet we we learn the most about ourselves. The enduring magic of Wonderland’s inhabitants shows us a sillier side of ourselves in a world where everyone is “mad” and free to be themselves no matter what an outsider thinks.
