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Alice in Wonderland

Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland Book Club

April 18, 2011 by carol anne 4 Comments

For those who are reading along or who want to read along. I started reading the book today. I, however took the lazy route. I skipped the introduction and went straight to chapter 1.

I found a website with book club discussion questions for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Background info and an introduction can also be found here.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS


Traditionally, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are both considered stories intended for children. If you were asked to support the contention that these are actually stories for adults, how would you defend this?

Alice Liddell, the model for Carroll’s fairy tale heroine, was a young child when these stories were first told. Although a child in the story, Alice often exhibits mature characteristics; and the adult characters often exhibit childish behavior. Do you consider these books to be an adult’s view of childhood, or a child’s view of adulthood?

Alice rarely speaks nonsense and rarely enjoys it when it is spoken to her. In fact, her speech and manners are as proper as those of any Jane Austen heroine. How is Alice’s perception of the world changed when confronted with the world and characters of nonsense?

The Cheshire Cat suggests that everything Alice experiences in Wonderland is a dream or the result of madness. Prefiguring Freud’s theories, Carroll, in a diary entry, defined “insanity as an inability to distinguish which is the waking and which the sleeping life.” Besides the obvious absurdities in imagery what other aspects of these books mimic a dream state?

“Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves.” This play on the proverb, “Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves,” is a good example of Carroll’s word play. Often these word plays end up with a nonsensical locution; but at other times, as is the case here, they create a completely different, often subversive, meaning. Discuss other examples of Carroll’s word play.

Throughout her adventures, Alice grapples with her identity. While this is a common feature of most children’s books, Alice’s questioning often inadvertently invokes the ideas of western philosophers from Plato to Bishop Berkeley. What philosophical issues about identity does Alice raise?

Throughout both Alice and Looking-Glass, Alice usually exhibits a passivity to the incomprehensible events around her. However, at critical times, she learns to assume control of her circumstances. When does this occur and what actions does she take?

What is the significance of the mushroom that Alice eats during her adventures?

Let’s assume that in Lewis Carroll’s original telling of these stories, he viewed himself as a teacher/mentor to Alice Liddell. How do the ways in which the fictional Alice adapts to her shifting and unusual circumstances translate into meaningful lessons for a child of Alice Liddell’s age?

If the Caterpillar from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland were to give advice to Tweedledee and Tweedledum fromThrough the Looking-Glass on how to solve their differences without having “a bit of a fight,” what might the Caterpillar advise?

Since their publication, many readers have found material in Carroll’s book unsuitable for children. Which parts of the Alice books, if any, do you think are unfit, or even harmful, to children today?

Posted in: Pop Culture Ramblings Tagged: Alice in Wonderland, Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland, book club

Pop Culture Potpourri — 1/19/11

January 19, 2011 by carol anne Leave a Comment

Hey! Good afternoon my dear lil readers. I hope today finds you all well and enjoying the reprieve from the bitter cold snowy/icy/slushy weather.

Today is Wednesday, January 19. It’s Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday. Happy birthday Edgar!

I finally got to watch My Fair Wedding. The Alice in Wonderland wedding was everything I hoped for and more. Her black dress was gorgeous. Both of her hats were spectacular; the bridesmaids’ jewelry was fantastic. Oh my gosh! The reception space was incredible. David please throw me a Halloween vows renewal.

Okay, I’m also caught up on Rich Bride, Poor Bride. The hubs loves the last few minutes of this show when they tell how much they spent on the wedding and how much over budget they are. I just can’t wrap my head around spending so much on one day. Where do people get money like that for one day? Who decides they want two wedding rings because two looks better than one? How are these people going to be able to manage their finances and keep roofs over their heads and food on the table? They have to be starting their married lives in massive debt.

Original budget $42,000

Actually spent $69,862

Over budget by 27, 862

That’s 27 months (2 yrs., 3 months) of rent or mortgage @ $1,000 a month.

That’s 23 YEARS of cable TV, Internet, and phone bills if you have Comcast Triple Play.

That’s more than 3 years of groceries at $150 per week.

You could eat 27,862 cheeseburgers from the dollar menu at any fast food joint. That’s 1 cheeseburger a day for 76 years.

You could drink a $5 cup of coffee every day for 15 years.

According to Lotpro.com you could buy any one of the following 20 cars in cash with no car payment. That’s from the under $30,000 group alone. There are some pretty nice cars in this list.

20 Cars under $27,862

1. 2011 Honda Odyssey, 2. 2011 Ford Edge, 3. 2011 Buick LaCrosse, 4. 2011 Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX, 5. 2011 Dodge Charger, 6. 2011 Acura TSX. 7. 2011 Nissan Quest, 8. 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, 9. 2011 Toyota Highlander, 10. 2011 Nissan Pathfinder, 11. 2011 Audi A3, 12. 2011 Chrysler 200, 13. 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 14. 2011 Toyota Venza, 15. 2011 Honda Civic Hybrid, 16. 2011 Volkswagen Routan, 17. 2011 Volvo S40, 18. 2011 Chrysler 300, 19. 2011 Mazda RX-8, 20. 2011 Subaru Impreza Wagon WRX

Speaking of cars, that’s more than 4 years of $500 per month car payments.

$27,862 is 2,786,200 pennies.

Do you get where I’m going with this? What an incredibly ridiculous sum of money $27,862 is to be over budget by.

Their original budget was $42,000. I don’t remember how many people were invited to the wedding, but if you pay $150 a head for 200 guests that’s $30,000 leaving $12,000 for limo, DJ, favors, cake, wedding dress, etc.

Okay that’s it for this edition of Pop Culture Potpourri. Thanks for reading.

Posted in: Pop Culture Ramblings Tagged: Alice in Wonderland, David Tutera, Edgar Allen Poe, My Fair Wedding, Rich Bride Poor Bride

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