Summer Reading Review : Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland

by : Lewis Carroll

Over the summer, I read Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Overall, the novel contains many riddles and questions to be answered. It's hard to decipher what each riddle or poem inside the story means or how it relates to the story. But maybe that is just for you, the reader, to figure out for yourself.

One question in particular, for example, in chapter five, our main character Alice, finds herself face-to-face with a large blue caterpillar. Immediately, like any other creature within Wonderland, the Caterpillar speaks to Alice, "Who are you?" it asks. Alice, obviously confused by the question, replies with "I--I hardly know, Sir, just at present--at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then" (34).

First of all, one might consider that Alice is confused as to who she is as a person because she had changed into many different sizes only just before, but, I believe that her response has a lot more meaning than that. Everyone has at least once in their life heard the saying "people change." And yes, throughout the book Alice changes sizes--getting shorter and taller at the most random times! And because of this, poor Alice becomes very confused. Plus, Alice's size changes occur all though the novel; perhaps relating to how a person may change throughout a day.

I often find myself changing interests and opinions all the time and even throughout the day. Perhaps, it's only being human, but, that doesn't take away from the fact that Alice changes frequently within the novel.
Overall, all though the novel Alice in Wonderland, I notice many references towards self-identity and finding oneself in Alice's character.