” Alice in Wonderland ” was written by Lewis Carroll in 1865. It has inspired a large number of films, plays, cartoons. It is not a simple story for children but a kind of satire with its own mythology and a series of similes and metaphors that have been exploited by Carroll. Much of this symbolism has been analyzed in every sphere: literary, sociological, psychological. And all for a story invented by this mathematician reverend during a boat trip with three little girls, one of whom is named Alice. World upside down
It inevitably represents the conflictual relationship between childhood and adulthood. Alice confronts a reality in which name and rules are overturned; from here she does not derive any useful teaching for access to the world of adults (as in the traditional Bildungsroman’s) nor any teaching or moral precept typical of children’s literature or the corpus of fairy tales and fables. Dream dimension
As we discover in the finale, what we read about is simply a dream of the protagonist, made during the afternoon. This would explain many narrative mechanisms, including rapid escapes in unpleasant situations or the presence of topical elements. The fall
While chasing the White Rabbit, Alice ends up in a deep lair. This fall has been interpreted by scholars and psychologists as a fall into the unconscious and recalls the sensation of falling that occurs during sleep and which leads many subjects to awaken abruptly. The Haste of the White Rabbit
This character is known to be elusive and always in a hurry; for this reason it has been interpreted as a representation of parents who burden their children with anxiety and stress. Growth
The Caterpillar in turn represents the rationality of adults. In part, he also represents wisdom but he is still intolerant towards Alice that she will have to look for the solution on her own in order to grow. Alice
The character of the protagonist represents childhood free and carefree but not naive or silly. Alice is able to relate to the world around her and the problems that arise without losing a fundamental gift, typical of childhood: fantasy. The White Rabbit
It is certainly one of the most strongly humanized characters in history and, in a certain sense, we could say that it is the equivalent and opposite of Alice, in representation of the adult world. He is always in a hurry, always busy – and you never really understand what his commitments might be – and always stressed out. Just like any self-respecting adult. And very often he also tends not to understand what Alice tells him. The Caterpillar
He tends to be unfriendly and brusque but at the same time has some kind of wisdom inherent in it – which is unclear whether or not it comes from the fumes of the narghile he is smoking. It represents the symbol of change, so much so that, at the end of his dialogue with Alice, he transforms into a butterfly. The Cheshire Cat or Cheshire Cat
Represents the typical element of disorder within the established order, although paradoxically it is he himself who reveals to Alice that in that world of “wonders” they are all crazy. Some interpret it as a representation of the author himself. The Queen of Hearts
It is certainly one of the most iconic characters of the story and is characterized by a particular feeling: anger. In part, she too remembers the world of adults and solving problems with drastic methods – cutting off the head.
The influence of the story also convinced some psychiatrists to give the name Alice to a psychopathology: the so -called Alice in Wonderland syndrome (acronym in English AIWS), a neurological disorder that affects sight and which occurs mainly during childhood. Those suffering from this syndrome have an altered body image, temporarily perceiving their body or objects that are smaller and / or further away from reality. What is Alice Syndrome
“Alice in Wonderland” is not only the title of a book, revisited in several keys, but it is also a neurological disorder. This is what Alice Syndrome consists of
