Alice in Wonderland: Difference between revisions

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* [[An Aesop]]: Averted. ''Alice'' is notable for being the first work of Victorian children's literature that sought to entertain rather than to teach dull morals. Though one could argue that ''Alice'' teaches an indirect moral of enjoying your childhood while it lasts, and to never forget it during adulthood.

* [[All Just a Dream]]: One of the few examples where it worked, mostly because Wonderland worked by dream logic.

* [[Artistic License Physics]]: As an algebra professor, Carroll clearly knew that if Alice had truly been in a state of freefall, she could neither have dropped the marmalade jar nor put it in a cupboard as she fell by it. Probably a minor nitpick considering that her descent itself was a rather blatant violation of the laws of physics.

* [[Author Appeal]]: Lewis Carroll's love of [[wikipedia:Alice's Adventures in Wonderland#Symbolism|mathematics]] is evident.

* [[Author Avatar]]: The Dodo in the Caucus Race. Dodgson stuttered and so would pronounce his last name "Do-Do-Dodgson", which earned him the nickname. The White Rabbit's fussiness is also based on Dodgson. The White Knight is a possible example, as he is the only character in either book who is 100% kind to Alice.

* [[Brick Joke]]: A few:

** In chapter 7, the Hatter tells Alice how he performed at the Queen's concert (singing a parody of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) and the Queen ordered him executed for "murdering the time". Later, in chapter 11, when he's called on as a witness at the trial, the Queen looks at him closely, and then asks a servant to bring her a list of the performers from the concert. Clearly, she's remembering the incident he mentioned. The Hatter is noticeably nervous about it.

** Also, in chapter 6, the Duchess growls, "If everybody minded their own business," the Duchess said in a hoarse growl, "the world would go round a deal faster than it does." Then, in chapter 9 (when Alice meets her in a much better mood) there's this exchange between them:

{quote|'''Duchess:''' Tis so. And the moral of that is, "Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!"

'''Alice:''' Somebody said that it's done by everybody minding their own business!}}

: As expected, the Duchess doesn't get the hint.

:* The second book combines this with foreshadowing. When Alice sees the living chess pieces in miniature form, she writes in the King's notebook, "The White Knight is sliding down the poker; he balances very badly." Several chapters later, when she meets the white Knight in person, he clearly balances horribly, falling off his horse every few steps it makes.

:* Also in the second book, Humpty Dumpty recites a poem of how he went to punish the fish for disobeying him, taking a corkscrew and finding a locked door in his way. Later, the Red and White Queens relate the incident, claiming he had been at the door with a corkscrew looking for a hippopotamus, mentioning they only have one on Tuesdays.

* [[Black Comedy]]: As for example:

{{quote|''"After such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they'll all think me at home! Why, I wouldn't say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house!" (Which was very likely true.)''}}

** Martin Gardner pointed out that an exchange between Alice and Humpty Dumpty is both the blackest and most easily missed joke in the books:

:* Martin Gardner pointed out that an exchange between Alice and Humpty Dumpty is both the blackest and most easily missed joke in the books:

{{quote|"Seven years and six months!" Humpty Dumpty repeated thoughtfully. "An uncomfortable sort of age. Now if you'd asked ''my'' advice, I'd have said, "Leave off at seven' -- but it's too late now."

"I never ask advice about growing," Alice said indignantly.