LiteraryAnalysisLewisCarroll

LewisCarroll,originallynamedCharlesLutwidgeDodgson,wasaBritishnovelistand
poetbornin1832.CarrollwasborninCheshireastheeleventhchildtoCharlesDodgsonand
FrancesLutwidgeDodgson.Asachildheenjoyedentertainingrelativesandfriendswithhis
homemademagazinesandstorieshehadwritten.Carrollwouldofteninventgamesforhismany
siblings,withthewideimaginationthathealsousedtohelphimwritehisstories.Himselfand
hissiblingsalsowouldperformplayswrittenbyCarroll,themostwellknownbeingThe
TragedyofKingJohnandLaGuidadiBragia,usingmarionettesthatthevillagecarpenter
helpedhimmake.Mostofhisplaysweretalltalesthatallhadamoral.(Kelly34)
CarrollattendedYorkshiregrammarschool,thanlaterenrolledinRugby.Afterthree
yearsthereCarrollenrolledinChristChurch,Oxford,forfiveyears.Herehepursuedhisloveof
mathematics,whichhewasverytalentedin.Hisintelligenceledhimtoearnalectureship,but
hisstutterandshypersonalitymadehimverypooratthis.Hewasalsoordained,butagainhis
stutteredheldhimfromdoingmuchpreachingandsohefocusedonwrittenwork.Carrollwrote
mathtextbooksandcontributedtothemagazineTheTrain.Itwasthismagazinethatcaused
Carrolltotakethenamehewritesunder,LewisCarroll,ashedidnotliketosignhisworksohe
wouldoriginallywriteB.B..Theeditorapproachedhimaboutitandaskedheusedafullname
sothatwastheonehechose.(Brackett,Blooms)

Carrollwasalsoaphotographerinhistime,specializinginphotographingyounggirls.
Carrollalwayshadpermissiontophotographthegirlsinhisartisticstylethatsometimes
includedthegirlstobeslightlyundressed,butothersquestionedhisphotography.Hestoppedhis
photographyin1880duetotheresponseshewasgettingthatcouldnegativelyaffecthowhewas
viewed,thatcouldhaveanaffectonhowhisworkswereacceptedaswell.Carrolldidclaimto
havenowrongintentionsandseeingnothingwrongwithwhathewasdoing.(Brackett,
Blooms)
Withhisloveforchildren,Carrollnaturallyeasilybefriendedthem.Hewouldread
storiestothelocalchildreninOxford,sittingseasideonarockwiththemsurroundinghim.
(Kelly7)HebecameveryclosewithAliceLiddellandhersisters,whomhewouldvisitoften.
ThegirlswerethedaughtersofHenryLiddell,aDeanofChristChurch,andin1856hebeganto
askCarrolltolimithisvisits.WhenHenrydepartedonalongtripthatsameyear,thegirls
caretakerallowedCarrolltovisitasfrequentlyashewished.Itwasthisyounggirlwhoinspired
Carrollsmostfamouswork,AlicesAdventuresUnderGround.(Laterretitledtowhatisknown
todayasAliceinWonderland)(Brackett,Blooms)
Attheageof89,Carrollretiredfromalmostallpositionshehadbeengiveninhislife,
includinghismathematicallectureship.Hisworkasanauthorlefthimfinanciallystableandsaid
thathecouldnowdoashepleased.Althoughthislesiuredidnotlastforlong.Carrollwas
electedcuratoroftheSeniorCommonRoom,alargeundertakingtobringsomethingso

chaotictoorder.Hemainlyfocusedonthecreaturecomfortsoftheroomwritingtomany

establishments,especiallyconcerningthewinecellar,aswellasattainingtoaccountant
responsibilitieslikemanagingservantssalaries.Carrollwroteabouthisundertakinginhis
TwelveMonthsinCuratorship,ahumorousstoryofhisjobthatheresignedfromin1892.(Kelly
2425)
TowardstheendofhislifeCarrollwrotehisnovelSylvieandBruno,anditssequelSylvie
andBrunoConcluded.Thesewerenotaspopularashisearlier,morewhimsicalworkslikeAlice
inWonderland,withheavytheoryandmorals.Hebegantoavoidpublicattentionmoreand
moreashegrewolderandwasonlybecomingthegreatLewisCarrolltochildren.Hisface
losttheconnectiontothenamehehadbeenwritingunderandhishealthandhappinessbeganto
decline.HewasinvitedtothefuneralofhisbrotherinlawinJanuaryof1898,buthadtowritea
letterbacksayinghecouldnotattendduetohisfailinghealth,frombronchialcongestion,and
sentbackagenerousamountofmoneytohelpthefamilypayforthefuneralexpenses.Inthe
comingdaysCarrollgrewworseandworseandhisinfectiongrewintopneumonia.Deathcame
onJanuary14th,1898forCarroll.Heaskedforasimple,inexpensivefuneralthatonlyhadthe
necessarypracticestohavehimburied.(Kelly2628)
LewisCarroll,asachild,hadanactiveimaginationthatheusedtoentertainhissiblings
andfamilymembers.Helovedtobeamongchildrenandbefriendthem,aswellasobserveand
photographthem.Carrolldidnotwanttoletgooftheinnocent,freespiritedattitudethatchild
possess,andthisisreflectedinhiswriting.Hewasanintelligent,criticalmanwhowanted
children,butcouldnotfindawomanthatdisplayedthequalitiesofyounggirlsthathesoloved.

Theimportanceofchildrenandthedesireforimaginative,childlikecreativityisshowninallthe
worksofLewisCarroll.Carrollalsolovedtoshowhisintelligenceandputhisownphilosophy
intohiswritings,ashewasanotedmathematicianandverycriticalofhumannature.
InCarrollsmostfamousworkofliterature,AliceinWonderland,hemakesmanytiesto
hisownlife.ThestorytellsthetaleofayounggirlnamedAlicewhogoesdownarabbithole
intoaworldonlyconceivablebyachild'simagination.Inthis"wonderland"sheencountered
many,personalityfilledcharactersincludingamadhatterhostingateaparty,asassycaterpillar,
anervoustimekeepingwhiterabbit,andatyrantofaruler,theQueenofHearts.The
characteristicsoftheQueenofHeartsandAlice,thechangesAliceundergoes(Bolch,Salem
Press),andwhythestorywascreatedallshowCarrollsloveofchildren,especiallyyounggirls,
anddesireforchildcompanionship(Smith,poetryfoundation.org).Thequestionofidentityin
AliceinWonderlandalsodisplaysCarroll'sintelligenceincausingthereadertoreallythink,just
ashecausedpeopletodoasamathematicianandalecturer(Millikan,Carleton.edu)
Twoofthemaincharacters,AliceandtheQueenofHearts,expressCarrollsopinionson
younggirlsvsthosehehadonwomenhisownage.Aliceisaninnocent,curiousperson,
obviouslyfavorableovertheolder,aggressiveQueenofHearts.ThecharacteristicsthatCarroll
giveshistwofemalecharacterexpresshowmuchhefavoredyounggirls.Hefeelsthatwithage
womanbecomemeanandlosetheimaginationthatyounggirlspossessthatmakesiteasyfor
himtoconnectandentertainthem.Carrollalsomakestheirapparencesshowhisfeelings
towardsthetwoagesasAliceispureandinnocentfaced,withanuntouchedbeauty,whilethe

QueenofHeartsismadeouttobealoudcharacterwithherappearance,almostscary.(Bolch,
SalemPress)
AsAlicetravelsthroughWonderlandsheexperiencesmanyphysicalchangesand
experiencesothereventsthatsymbolizegrowingup.Carroll,spendingsomuchtimewithyoung
girlsandobservingthemforhisphotography,usesthefalldowntherabbithole,exposureto
drinkingstrangesubstances,andherfluctuatingsizethroughoutthebooktosymbolizegrowing
up.(AliceinWonderland,Masterplots)ThefalldowntherabbitholethattakesAliceto
wonderlandtoshowthebeginningoftheprocessandhow,inhiseyes,womenbegintoseea
declineinattractivenessandgenerallikeness.WhenAlicedrinksthemysterioussubstancethat
shefindsatthebottomoftherabbitholethisshowshowherinnocenceisgoingaway,sheis
beingexposedtomoreadultthings(eventhoughthisisanimaginarypoemandisnotalcohol).
Asthissubstancecauseshertogrowandthecakesheeatslatertoshrink,thephysically
inconsistentchangesinAlicereflectthetransitionperiodfromyounggirlintoawoman.
Carrollsviewsonhowtheinnocenceislostaschildrengrowolderandhowtheybecomemore
recklessareshownthroughthecharacterofAliceandsymbolismonheradventurein
Wonderland.(Bolch,SalemPress)
AconnectionbetweenCarrollsloveforchildrenandhisdesiretospendtimewiththem
andthecreationofthestoryAliceinWonderlandisevidentinthecreationofthestory.Carroll
wrotethestoryforAliceLiddell,ayounggirlwhohehadbefriendedandwasallowed,byher
father,togoonoutingswithhim.Themaincharacterofthestorywasnamedforthegirland

createdtoentertainher,firstonaboatride,untilshedemandedhewritethestorydownforher.
Carrolllovedusinghismadeuptalestodrawtheattentionofchildren,ashehaddonebefore
tellingstoriesforlocalchildren,andAlicewasnoexception(Smith,poetryfoundation.org).
ThroughoutAliceinWonderlandthemaincharacterAliceisaskedwhosheismany
timesduringherjourneythroughWonderland.Whenthecreaturesofthisstrangenewworldask
Alicewhosheis,sometimesshethinksthatshecannotrespondwithAlice.Thephysicaland
emotionalchangesthatAliceexperiencesthroughoutWonderlandcausehertobelievethat
maybesheisnolonger"Alicetheinnocentchild",butmaybesomeonenew.ThisisCarroll's
intelligenceatworkhere.Carroll,beingaformermathematicianandlecturerknowshowtoset
peopleoffandmakethemthinkandsecondguessthemselves.Carrollputsthisinhisstoryto
havethereadersquestionthemselvesandhumannatureasheoncedidthroughlogicandtheory
(Millikan,Carleton.edu)
Carrolls,lessfamous,companionnoveltoAliceinWonderlandcalledThroughthe
LookingGlassisanotherworkofhisinwhichhisloveforchildrenanduseofhiswide
imaginationisdisplaced.ThestoryfollowstheloveableAliceonanotheradventure,thistime
throughamirror(lookingglass)toanewworldsetinachessgame.Hereshemeetsmany
nurseryrhymecharacters,thewellknowntweedledeeanddum,andmustovercometheRed
Queentobecomequeenoflookingglasslandherself.(Carroll,280)
Inthestory,ThroughtheLookingGlass,Alicestartsherjourneyasapawnandmust
workherwayuptoaqueen,showinghowCarrollperceivedadultshungerforpowerand
blindnesstowardsthesimplebeautiesinlife.TheRedQueenrepresentsadults,sincesheisone,
whoareperceivedtohaveallthepowerinlife.Alice,achild,representsallchildrenandis

curious,innocent,imaginative,andsmart.TheRedQueendoubtsAlice'sabilitiestooverthrow
herpoweranddoubtsAlicewillrisefromalowlypawn.Meaning,adultslookdownuponchild
justfortheirageandthinkbydefinitionadultsaresmarterandmorepowerfulthanchildren.This
isCarrolldisplayinghowmuchhevaluedchildrenoverhispeers.Carrollsawsomuchmore
thanotherdidinchildrenandrefusedtobecomeaclosedmindedadult.(Downey,
victorianonline.org)
ThefactthatCarrolldescribesAlice'sdream,inwhichthewholestoryisrevealedtotake
placein,inawaythatshowcasesherlogicalproblemsolvingskillssupporthowheviews
childrenasveryintelligentandunderestimated,aswellasthedynamicoftheRedQueenand
Aliceinthepreviousparagraph.ThefactthatAlicehasenoughimaginationandthegeneral
abilitytocreatesuchaComplexworldandstorylineforherselfinherheadisamazing.Carroll
basedthecharacteroffhisyoungfriendafterobservingherandmanyotherchildrenthoughtout
hisyearsofworkreadingto,writingabout,andphotographingchildren.Alicecreatesherworld
aroundachessboard,whichisaverystrategic,mindbendinggame.Thisshowsoffher
intelligencethatCarrollexpressesallchildrenhavebyherabilitytoovercomethisinsanegame,
togofromasimplepawntoaQueen,andtoruleherownworld.(Brackett,Bloom's)
LastlywecanseehowCarrolluseshisintelligenceandknowledgetogivethestorya
modernfeelforhistime.Carrollsvastmathematicalknowledgeandinterestinlogiccontributed
tothecreationofhisdeepsymbolismandmindbendingplots.Carrollwouldusehisown
intelligencetodefylogicthathesolovedinpursuitofentertainmentandtomakethereadersof
hisworksthink.Hewouldnotleaveanyconversationinhisworksatfacevalue,havingthe
characterswordshavedeepermeaningsanddiveintoquestionsthatmakethereadereventhink

aboutwhattheywouldsay.Carrollwouldevenmakethemostmadcharacterspossessthe
mostwisdom,maybereflectinghimselfinhisownworksbecauseitwouldtakeanalmostmad
mantowritesuchmindbendingchildrensstories(Downey,TheVictorianWeb.org)(Heath,
4648).
InoneofCarroll'slong,storylikenonsensepoems,TheHuntingoftheSnark,hetells
thetaleof10childrenwhogoonanadventuretofindthismadeupcreature,theSnark.The
Snarkturnsouttobeanotherdangerouscreaturecalledthe"Boojum"andleadstothedeathof
oneofthechildren(Carroll,poetryfoundation.org).Inthepoem,Carrolldemonstrateshisown
highintelligencebymakinguphisownwordsandhisownrulesforhiswordsessentially("The
HuntingoftheSnark",Literature.org).Also,makingthepoemanonsensepoemshowsCarroll's
loveofentertainingchildrenwithhismadeupwordsandbizarreuniversehecreates(Shaw,
courses.wcupa.edu).Alloftheseobservationsdrawconnectiontohisnaturalintelligenceandhis
lovefromchildreninhisownlife.
Carrollwasaveryintelligentman,andheusedthisintelligencetodevelopsomeofthe
crazyscenariosandsettingsinhisstoriesandpoems.InTheHuntingoftheSnarkCarrollcreates
afewofhisownwords,includingthe"Snark"andthe"Boojum",allowingthereadertoputtheir
ownideasandtheirownfearsintotheimaginarycreatures.Usingunfamiliarwordscreatesa
senseofdisconnectthatthereaderfillswiththeirownimageofwhateverythinglooksliketoin
turndrawthemcloserintothestorybecausetheytoohavecreatedapieceofit.Carrolllovedto
create,justlikehehadlovedtocreategamesandstoriesforfamilyasachild("TheHuntingof
theSnark",Literature.org).

Carroll,alsoshowingoffhisintelligencetocatchthereaderattention,strategicallyput
hisowntheory'sintohisworkstogetthemoutintotheworld.Carrollusesthewise
HumptyDumptytoconverthistheoryofpackingthemeaningoftwowordsintooneby
combiningthem,forexample.Carrollwasaveryintelligentmaninhistime,amathematician
andascholar.Thedaysoflecturingabouthistheory'smayhavebeenover,butputtingthemout
throughthemediabroughthimbacktohisoldjobsandgothisideasoutintheworldsometimes
evenwithoutthereadernoticing("TheHuntingoftheSnark",Literature.org).
ThelastconnectionCarrollmakesinhispoemTheHuntingoftheSnarktohisownlifeis
howhewritethepoeminthestyleofanonsensepoemtoentertainchildrenspecifically,whohe
lovesandvaluedoverhispeers.Carrolluseshisownveryactiveimaginationtocreateanew
worldfullofcrazy,funthingsforchildrentoescapetowhentheyheard,orread,thepoem.To
anadultthepoemmayseemlikeamesscreatedbyamadman,buttoachildwithan
imaginationlikeCarroll'sthepoemtellsafascinatingstory.ThiswasimportanttoCarroll,the
factthatthepoemwasfavoredbychildrenandnotsomuchbyadults,becausehelovedthemso
muchandhisonegoalwastopleasechildren,nothispeers(Shaw,courses.wcupa.edu).

LewisCarrollisarenownedshortstoryauthorandpoet.Hiscreativityand
imaginationcancapturetheattentionofanyreader,nomatterwhatage.Itisimportantto
notethathisworksweregearedtowardschildrenwhowouldacceptitmostandunderstand
itthewayCarrollwantedittobeunderstoodbecauseallofhisworkwasgearedtowards
andcreatedforchildren.Hisintelligenceshinesthroughinhisworks,asheforcesthe

readertolookdeeperinsidethemselvesandperhapsquestiontheirownchoicesand
humanity.ConnectionsbetweenCarroll'slifeandhisworkareclearlyseen.Inhisworkhe
displayshisintelligence,referringtowhenhewasamathematicianandscholar,hislove
forchildren,referringtohisfriendshipwithmanyyounggirlsandhisphotographycareer,
andhowheglorifiedchildrenasbeingsmarterthanadultsthought,referringtohowhe
refusedtoletthechildishspiritgoinhimselftofurtherhiswritingandviewoftheworld.
Overall,Carrollwrotegreatworksthatcanbeinterpretedinmanywaysandteachmany
goodmorallessonsforthechildrenthatheaimeditto.