Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland part B

Alice in Wonderland Movie, (Source)

Setting: The movie is so colorful and fun to watch, I know the book will also have great descriptive elements to help tell the story. Carroll does a great job of setting the scene in the transitions from one major event to the next.

“There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it and talking over its head.”

This quote perfectly sets up the mad tea party scene, describing the layout of the event. We can picture the funny image of the mouse sleeping while the hare and hatter are leaning on him like a cushion.

“Once more she found herself in the long hall and close to the little glass table. 'Now, I'll manage better this time,' she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key and unlocking the door that led into the garden. Then she went to work nibbling at the mushroom (she had kept a piece of it in her pocket) till she was about a foot high: then she walked down the little passage: and THEN — she found herself at last in the beautiful garden among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains.”

Here, we can picture Alice wandering around the long hall and finding another door to go through. We see her unlock the door, shrink down, then in a beautiful garden. Each time Carroll switches scenes, he perfectly describes Alice's actions so the audience has no confusion to what is going on.

“The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived with a great crowd assembled about them — all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him, and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand and a scroll of parchment in the other. In the very middle of the court was a table with a large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good that it made Alice quite hungry to look at them"

This last section is a huge chunk of imagery. We see a royal set up with the king and queen, and various animals and cards in front of them. The whole thing is very grand and perhaps the largest scene described in the novel.

Bibliography: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll : Source