Alice in Wonderland

We are all familiar with the little girl Alice who fell down a rabbit's hole and found herself in a bizarre world of backwardness. As a child, the Walt Disney version of this tale made me very uncomfortable; it had no plot line that I could see and it's lack of structure made me bristle. Then, loving Johnny Depp the way I do, I rented Tim Burton's version of the film and loved it. Here was something I could get behind: not only was there a plot, but Burton et al presented a story of a young woman's journey toward muchness, a substance many young women these days lack.

So I suggested to the Club that we read the story by Lewis Carroll, knowing that most of our generation probably hasn't. As I read I was sorry I had suggested it, mostly.

The story itself has much more in common with the Disney film than I was anticipating. Strange world, when Disney gets most of it right, eh? There was almost no plot, save for a thinly written bit about trying to become a queen. Most of what happened was absolute and pure nonsense, which is fine when it leads to a conclusion, but I don't feel this did. The entire book seemed to me like an infuriating riddle with no answer to be had.

The parts I enjoyed the most were bits and pieces that Burton et al pulled out to put the more recent film together. At one point, Alice is heard to tell a Queen that "one can't believe impossible things." To which the Queen replies: "I daresay you haven't had much practice,...sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." This is a lovely habit of childhood that so many grow out of as they progress, yet still missing their opportunity to develop their muchness. This theme is used by Burten et al to develop a sense of aimlessness in their Alice, and built a back story involving her dead father (aren't there always dead parents? Isn't that how storybook children find appeal on the shelves?).

The story Burton et al build around principally concerns the Jabberwok poem. The book is full of songs and poems and riddles, many of which the reader would recognize from the Disney film. Burton et al pieced together a totally new Alice story, one that makes sense, is empowering, is visually appealing, and still manages to preserve Carroll's general ideas. My conclusion: read the story, it is easy enough and you might love it. However, given the choice, I'd rather Tim Burton had written it.

Practical Advice from Alice as she Adventures in Wonderland - Summarized by Amanda

We are embarking onto another new literary genre - literary nonsense. While many of the characters in this book seem immature or illogical, young Alice offers sage advice that people of ages should read and heed. Since most are more familiar with Alice than some of the other characters we are reading about, I thought it would be fun to delve into advice from Alice with some modern day applications.

• ...and she had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked "poison," it is almost certain to disagree with you sooner or later.
• This nugget of trugh would work well as an example in my day job - we are always harping on clear and accurate labels. Does anyone remember the Mr. Yuk stickers? Those were enough to keep me away from the bleach.

• She generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it).
• We all have the little devil and little angel sitting on opposite shoulders. How many times have we listened to what each had to say (good advice or bad) and then take another path all together?

• Shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a comfort, one way - never to be an old woman - but then - always to have lessons to learn! Oh, I shouldn't like that.
• Alice is in such a hurry to grow up, yet she is constantly eating and drinking items to make herself grow and shrink, rarely finding the happy middle ground. Many children's play-times are filled with playacting roles of various adults - kings, queens, chefs, doctors and vets. And as adults we remember the care-free days of childhood. And I hate to tell you Alice, but you continue to have lessons to learn as adults.

• If it had grown up, it would have made a dreadfully ugly child: but it makes a rather handsome pig, I think. And she began thinking over other children who might do very well as pigs.
• Or all the politicians, CEOs of gas companies or fill in the blank people who might do very well as pigs.

• The King's argument was that anything that had a head could be beheaded, and that you weren't to talk nonsense.
• Enough said



• Tut, tut, child! said the Duchess. Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it.
• This is probably my favorite advice in the entire book. It urges us to look for some moral, no matter how tough the situation. I just heard about another book called "The Message" and is about finding the nugget of advice or learning in various sorts of communication. This may be great for a future blog post. And even the kids in South Park look for a moral at the end of most episodes.


• I don't see how he can ever finish, if he doesn't begin.
• Sometimes a situation seems so intimidating, it is tough to even know where to begin. Then the finish line become that much farther, and you don't make any progress. In these cases, it is surprising how much progress can be made if you put 5 or 10 minutes of effort into planning.


• That's the reason they're called lessons, because they lessen from day to day.
• If only. Instead they grow from to day to day.

• Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end, then stop.
• See the third to the last bullet point