Topic Research: Alice in Wonderland

Project, Option A: Alice in Wonderland

To get into the grove and mind set of Alice in Wonderland, before I started reading part A of the Alice in Wonderland unit in the un-textbook I turned on a newer Disney version of Alice (the one with Johnny Depp as the mad hatter) while I was eating dinner. This is the one where Alice has grown up some and has forgotten Wonderland from when she was a child. I always feel like this movie is sort of dark for a Disney film, mainly because of the makeup the actors and actresses are wearing maybe who knows. Now for a long list of notes from the Original Lewis Carroll version form 1865. 

Chapter 1 Down the Rabbit-Hole, Cont., and The End

• She thought it was weird her sister's book had no pictures or conversations
• contemplated making a daisy chain, when she first saw the white rabbit
• The Rabbit looked at his watch and said "oh dear! oh dear! I shall be late!"
• burning curiosity about the rabbit in the waist coat she ran after him
• she followed him down the rabbit hole, not caring how to get out
• falling down the deep well she had time to look about and think about what was going to happen next
• the sides of the well was filled with bookshelves and cupboards
• she wondered how far she had fell 
• she tried to curtsey as she was falling through the air
• she thought about her cat missing her
• she landed on a mound of sticks and dry leaves
• the rabbit was still in sight down a long passage, of course she followed
• she tried to open numerous doors to try to get out, nothing would open
•  table with a little gold key
• found a little door about 15inches tall and the key fit
• through the door she saw the loveliest garden
• she thought about how to shut herself up like a telescope
• found a bottle that said drink me
• it tasted like a mix of a cherry tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast
• she was now 10 inches tall, she waited to see if she would shrink further and go out like a candle
• of course she forgot the key on the table
• she thought generally she gave herself good advise but rarely followed it
• very fond of pretending to be 2 people
• a glass box with a cake that said eat me on it, she ate it, and made her grow more than 9 feet tall
• (not in given text but she finally got through the door at the right size)

Advice from  a Caterpillar, Cont.

• Alice and the Caterpillar stared at each other for a long time, the caterpillar asked "Who are YOU?"
• she didn't know who she was at the moment
• she tried to explain her feelings but couldn't
•  as she was walking away, after an irritating conversation, the caterpillar yells, "come back I have something important to say!"
• she tried to say something but each time it came out different
• he asked what size she preferred, Alice replied she just didn't want to keep changing sizes. 
• she asked to be a little larger than 3 inches high, caterpillar got mad because he was exactly 3 inches tall
• the caterpillar told her that one side of the mushroom would make her grow taller and the other will make her grow smaller
• she grew with one side of the mushroom, but just her neck and it moved about like a serpent freely
• she started to slowly nibble the pieces until she was at the right height
• she came to a house while looking for the garden and decided not to startle the owners and bring herself down to 9 inches tall again

The Pig and the Pepper, cont. and the end

illustration by sir John Tenniel

• she saw two footmen one looked like a frog and the other looked like a fish. both with powdery white hair
• the fish footman handed the other a large letter from the queen inviting the Duchess to play croquet
• Alice wanted to go inside but the footman was no help since he was sitting outside as well
• she decided to just walk in
• the soup in the cauldron had to much pepper, everyone was sneezing except for the cook and the cat on the hearth
• she asked why the cat grinned, the duchess replied because he is a Cheshire cat
• duchess is the one to say chop off her head!
• the duchess gave the "child" to Alice to nurse
• the child looked more or less like a pig and she let It go
• she saw the Cheshire cat sitting in a tree a few yards away
• he smiled wider when she called him Cheshire puss
• asked him which way she should go, he asked it depends on where you want to get
• pointed in both directions one way to the mad Hatter and the other the March hare
• Alice didn't want to go among mad people
• "we're all made here"
• the cat vanished after mentioning croquet with the queen
• the cat came back and asked about the baby, Alice replied that it turned into a pig

Overall

The story of the Pepper and the Pig to me was a new one. Maybe there was something in the pepper to turn the baby into a pig? The images in this part of the unit I fairly enjoyed, but my favorites were the ones by Sir John Tenniel, maybe because I know those were the original ones along with the stories. I am still at odd by the Pig and the Pepper chapter of Alice. I am starting to think more of the idea of seeing more of the story from either the Rabbit, the Caterpillar, or the Cheshire Cats point of view. Maybe a chapter for each?

Bibliography:

Image:http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/wonderland-pig-and-pepper-end.html image of Alice and Cheshire Cat it a tree

Notes from the Alice and Wonderland Unit in the Un textbook http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-alice-in-wonderland.html based on most of Lewis Carroll's famous Novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland published in 1865. including the adventures of her trip down the rabbit-hole, advice from a caterpillar, and the pig and pepper.