Themes in Alice's Adventures: Exploring Lewis Carroll's Literary Craft
Themes in Alice’s Adventures: Exploring Lewis Carroll’s Literary Craft
When Lewis Carroll wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass, he created a literary classic that has withstood the test of time and still captures the imaginations of readers today. While the main character Alice’s adventures capture the reader’s attention, it is Carroll’s themes of temptation, identity, and morality that truly make these books enduring works of literature.
Temptation
Alice is a young girl who must make her own decisions and contend with the consequences. Throughout the books, she is constantly faced with tempting decisions and situations that push her to think about how each of her choices will affect her outcome. Whether it’s the caterpillar’s suggestion to “try a little of everything,” or the temptation of eating the cake with the “Eat Me” tag, Alice is forced to grapple with each decision and its consequences.
Identity
Alice’s identity is in constant flux throughout the books. She is constantly growing and changing, going from one size to another throughout her adventures. Alice’s identity is also challenged by the creatures and characters she meets along the way. In particular, the moment when Alice declares “Who in the world am I?” perfectly captures her uncertainty about her identity.
Morality
Morality is a dominant theme in Alice’s Adventures. Throughout the books, Alice is faced with moral dilemmas that test her sense of right and wrong. From the Mock Turtle’s words of wisdom that “At school, we were taught logic and how to debate,” to the Queen of Hearts sentences of “off with his head,” Alice must weigh the consequence of each of her decisions.
Lewis Carroll’s books are filled with puzzles and riddles, from logic to language, that require readers to think critically about their own lives and experiences. Through the themes of temptation, identity, and morality, Carroll’s books explore timeless topics that still ring true today.