Public domain works are often not as well known as this one. Everyone from Disney to lesser known studios have taken a crack at this classic by Lewis Carol. Many people reading this have only experienced this classic via the Disney movie – not a bad way of experiencing it. The book has so much more to offer though, you just must be willing to jump into the rabbit hole.
Image source Pixabay
The first thing to get out of the way about Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is that Lewis Carol was a pseudonym for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Now, for me, that was a surprise because I had just taken it at face value that Lewis Carol was the name of the author of this classic adventure.
For many, the symbolism and adventure that is represented in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is still very much a part of their lives.
Quiz – is Alice sitting with her mother or her older sister in the first chapter? No cheating.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland starts with the iconic White Rabbit and his famous pocket watch. This one character has been referenced many times in popular entertainment. Movies such as the Matrix used the symbolism of the White Rabbit to allude to Neo needing to down the rabbit hole to discover the truth. There is even a reference in Jurassic Park linking back to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland via the White Rabbit.
The White Rabbit symbolism has spanned episodes of Star Trek (original series) and even popular kids shows such as Wizards of Waverly Place.
There are many more examples of Carol’s White Rabbit being an influence or being referenced directly. Too many to name here. For the rest, check out the Wikipedia page on the White Rabbit.
Interestingly, the original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was about 15,000 words long. Dodgson expanded the story to over 27,000 words by adding sections for the Cheshire Cat and the Mat Tea-Party.
It is hard to imagine how different Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland would be without those two iconic sections and characters. Different it would be though.
The final story features 12 chapters. Each dealing with a different area of Wonderland and how Alice interacts with it.
Chapter One – Down the Rabbit Hole: This is the opening chapter which sets the pace for the rest of the story. Here we learn just how messed up Alice’s adventures are going to be. She meets the White Rabbit and we experience the definition of “down the rabbit hole” first hand.
Chapter Two – The Pool of Tears: Things go from bad to worse for poor Alice in this chapter as she meets the second denizen of Wonderland, a mouse.
Chapter Three – The Caucus Race and a Long Tale: Alice learns that not everyone is as interested in her life as she might think. New friends are wet and scared in this chapter.
If you want to know what happens to Alice, then check out Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It is public domain and available for free at these locations:
University of Adelaide
Project Gutenberg
Audio by LibriVox
If you prefer physical copies then will you please use these links? Your purchase helps me continue bringing public domain entertainment to you regularly.
