End of Innocence

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" wasn't warmly received during its initial release on November 25, 1865. Many thought it was too absurd to be understood, and if it was meant to be a children's book, then it didn't seem to be the case. But there was a change of opinion after many decades. The novel's popularity grew, ensuring that it would be unscathed. But not Lewis Carroll. It was a pseudonym that Charles Lutwidge Dodgson used during his literary career.

Dodgson was one interesting fellow. He was an Anglican deacon, a very conservative individual who was awkward in the company of adults. It was his stammer, a disability that made him struggle to say something. This wasn't a problem with children, though. In fact, he loved to tell stories to the little ones. In return, they trusted him. Alice Liddell was one of those kids, the young daughter of Henry Liddell, the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" came after Dodgson's boat trip with Alice and her sisters. She was thrilled that he thought of using her name. There was no doubt that her enthusiasm inspired him to write the book.

Analyze this

Maybe Dodgson intended "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" as a means of amusement. Many critics analyzed it, coming up with suggestions that a sensible mind wouldn't think of. Some believed that Dodgson had a thing with Alice Liddell, implying that he was pedophile. Those who have known the cleric would insist this was far from the truth. Others claimed that the novel alluded to the era of legal opium use. They would even point to the blue caterpillar, who treated Alice with contempt. Another doubtful argument, as it was hard to imagine a man like Dodgson to hook himself in such an activity.

Put yourself in his shoes.

You are a logical person who try to figure out the Victorian world. Your contemporaries have written about it, but you're not interested in their style. You have a kid's heart, so you want to express it in a playful mode. But with a twist. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" began with a young girl falling asleep, and woke up with a sight of a white rabbit in a hurry. She followed him, only to fall through the hole and then finding herself in an anthropomorphic world. She came from a well-to-do family, with a know-it-all attitude and superior air. These very features were mocked in Wonderland.

Every character that Alice encountered, even the things she saw, would represent something. It was a part of her dream, so it would be hard to know what it actually stood for. However, one must consider the garden. This was the centerpiece of Wonderland, and this was where Dodgson had fond memories with the children. Think of innocence. Think of the end of innocence. Think of struggling to come to terms with it.

There was no doubt that Dodgson was a genius, but the mystery still needed to be answered. What was Wonderland all about?