Tag: alice in wonderland story

12 Things You Didn’t Know About Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland? Well, this is an interesting novel featuring an iconic story written by Lewis Carroll. I went through the book closely and came up with these interesting facts that you are probably unaware of.

  1.   Due to Queen Victoria`s love for the book, she proposed that Lewis dedicates to her his next book. Carroll, of course, granted this favor to the queen.

2.   Lewis Carroll had a rare neurological disorder.

This disease which was first discovered by psychiatrist John Todd, it is said to cause hallucinations and visual objects size is affected and apparently the objects either feels bigger or smaller than they really are. The disease is also popularly known as Todd`s syndrome or Alice in Wonderland syndrome.

3 . China censored the novel in 1931.

China used the argument that animals should not use human language and hence banned the book.

4.   The Mock Soup (Turtle) is actually real

Apparently, the soup is for real and was created from specific calf parts like the hoof, head and the brain it was also a cheaper version of green turtle soup in Victorian times.

5. Elsie, Tillie, and Lacie the three sisters in Dormouse`s story are also used to refer to Liddell and her two sisters.

Tillie is a short form for Matilda, Lacie is as a result of the transformation from Alice and Elsie is from the initials of Lorina Charlotte.

6. The Original illustrator hated the first book.

John Tenniel who was the book illustrator was upset especially due to how horrible the drawings had been reproduced and this made Carroll spend most of his money to reprint the book.

7. Alice character is real.

Her character is based on a real life girl named Alice Liddell. She was a Brunette who requested Carroll to write her story on a boating trip in Oxford.

8. The Cheshire Cat`s Tree In Oxford.

This tree that is said to have inspired the real one is found in a Garden behind Alice`s home in Oxford.

9 . A shorter version of Alice`s Adventures was released for toddlers.

It had 20 of Mr. John Tenniel`s illustrations and it was enlarged, colored and at some instances revised. It was absolutely for children aged from ‘naught to five’

10. It was first made a 12mins movie in 1903.

Director Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stowe made it a 12mins film which happened to be the longest film in Britain.

11. The book has never been out for print.

‘Through the Looking-Glass’ and its continuation ‘What Alice found there’ were already on sale within seven weeks from their publication and the book has been translated to 176 different languages.

12 . Carroll is the Dodo

The Dodo was named from his real name Dodgson. He stutters very much when speaking.

Definitely, it’s one very captivating book that you just can’t avoid!

Is Alice in Wonderland as Special as It’s Said to Be?

Alice is one of those successful stories that almost everyone has heard about. The play has inspired filmmakers and actually led to the making of over 25 different TV and film versions. The first one was an iconic movie made in 1903. But has the play had any special effect on cinema as compared to its contemporaries? Most critics say no.

Alice was first published in 1865 but has been adapted 25 times to date. In comparison, Les Miserables (first published in 1862) has also attracted 25 adaptations, while Crime & Punishment (1866) has attracted over 27 adaptations. Little Women (1868) has had 13 adaptations, while Great Expectations (1861) has recorded at least 15 thus far.

Disney’s adaptation, “Alice in Wonderland”, was released in 1951. The initial release wasn’t so successful, and the film didn’t hit the sweet spot for audiences and critics till decades later. The movie also boasts many other feats. For instance, it was the first cartoon feature that aired on TV and later released as a home video.

Alice does not stand apart from all these contemporaries. It has little in common with them. For instance, there lacks a unifying theme among the novels and other plot structures. Critics have given it credit for attracting a lot of interest from filmmakers. But it’s not alone in this regard. So that’s not really unique.

The simple but brilliant premise of a child finding a portal to another world is probably imagination. If not, others have said it’s so compelling. One of the individuals who has hailed Alice is C.S. Lewis, whose machination, “The Chronicles of Narnia” starts when a kid discovers a fairy tale world from a furs-stuffed wardrobe. Certainly, the premise is utterly compelling. But the same goes for lots of other stories, including some that were published around the same time with Alice.