Tolog Review: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
reviewed by Olivia Roginson

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, tells the magical story of Alice exploring a world completely new to her. It all begins with a small rabbit who catches Alice’s eye. Alice follows the rabbit into a rabbit-hole where the adventures and peculiar activities begin. By “going down the rabbit- hole,” Alice takes a risk and finds a sense of adventure within herself. Although Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is written in a way that relates to the imagination of children, it is enjoyable for all ages, and adds creativity, along with excitement, to the reader’s way of thinking. Alice’s imagination runs wild as she travels through a world filled with a vanishing cat, a very mad hatter, and an evil queen. 

Alice struggles to understand how life works in Wonderland, and often times she finds herself in need of some assistance. Before even entering the secret garden, she struggled making herself just right to fit in with the world, whether it was her physical size or her ability to understand the world around her. 

Along her adventure, Alice encounters some new friends, all of which are a little out of the ordinary. The white rabbit she followed down the rabbit-hole reappears several times, and would very often be running around, stressed about a new assignment given to him. When Alice goes to the tea- party, she meets the Mad Hatter, the March hare, and the Dormouse. She is given several riddles that perplex her to a point of complete confusion, and the creatures in the story think in ways that seem very strange. Then, Alice meets the evil Queen of Hearts and her many followers. The icy Queen makes Alice and everyone in Wonderland nervous, due to her angry attitude and her unlimited power, often used for evil deeds. She is feared by many, and expects respect from everyone in Wonderland. Alice tries her best to stay on her good side, until she reaches a point where she feels stronger than her and all of her power.

Whether Alice’s adventure is real or all in her mind, her story is one filled with danger and excitement. Carroll uses the technique of creating an enchanting universe filled with new and exciting creatures. There is a sense of mystery in the way the alternate world works, and where all the creatures come from. The different lifestyle and way of thinking that occurs in Wonderland causes confusion for Alice and forces her to think about every move she makes. Wonderland is different than reality in so many ways that the worlds seem to be completely opposite. As soon as Alice learns to think outside the box, she begins to understand the way the world works and she can find her way through all of the creatures and twisted riddles.