Through the Looking Glass: Alice

When I read Alice in Wonderland, the only prior knowledge I had on the subject was once watching the Disney version as a child. I remember my mother telling me that the movie was nonsense and had no valid content. She didn't approve of the smoking caterpillar or a land where everyone seemed to be hallucinating away from reality.



Since I was a child then, my mother's word was law. So, I in turn put the movie and story out of mind. So, when I read the book I kept the same mentality that this story wasn't going to contain anything of use. After a couple chapter (especially due to the annotated notes) you realize how empowering Alice is, which usually isn't the case in most novels. Whenever the lead character is portrayed as a girl, the plot usually consists of her search for a boy (or a knight).

Alice encourages us to, "Not only to venture into the unknown in life, but to venture into our souls and deep within our hearts to find out who we are."(P.208) When were in high school we don't take much time to ponder what it is that makes us...us. We let friends, teachers, parents, and even celebrities manipulate who we are or act like. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and faith, in yourself, to truly be different.



In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, many of the characters talk down to her. They continuously ask “who are you” (P.48), she is obviously offended, yet she never really speaks up. Alice feels overwhelmed by the limitless answers she could give, and the answers that are true. It isn’t till the end of the story that Alice feels more confident with whom she is. The proof is apparent in the courtroom scene, where Alice is brought to the stand to testify. The queen (who is a tyrant) yells, “Sentence first-verdict afterwards,” (P.124) this outrages Alice. She knows this is complete nonsense, which is what she shouts back at the Queen. The Queen of course tells her to “Hold her tongue,” and Alice simply replies “I won’t.” (P.124)
In this scene Alice is finally letting all her pent up emotions out letting the Queen and everyone else in the courtroom exactly what she thinks of all this madness. She is becoming more certain and aware of what makes her a good leader. Her strong defining trait is virtue in her thoughts and decision, always knowing what undoubtly is right and wrong.


In Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, when Alice is finally made Queen, she is tested by the Red & White Queen. They bombard her with many questions and then tear apart her answers to where she feels unsure about she is again. “I don’t know,” (P.153)Alice said to one of the Red Queens questions about addition. This scene reminds me of the peer pressure we feel in high school and college. When someone brings you down it’s makes them feel surer of themselves, so they continue to do it. Those are the individuals are the ones who are truly lost, and have no idea who they are. Alice leadership skill shine through when she answer back (and talks back) to the White Queen, by saying, “Can you do sums?” (P.254)