The following thesis is about “Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland as a Work of Nonsense Fiction”. Carroll’s masterpiece Alice in Wonderland, which includes both books, namely Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, does not only belong to the most popular English children’s books, but it is also regarded as a classic around the world. Especially in English-speaking countries, lines from the Alice books have been as often cited as lines from Shakespeare or the bible. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who used the pseudonym “Lewis Carroll” for his writings, made up the tale Alice in Wonderland for his most-loved child-friend and muse Alice Liddell and her sisters during a boat trip on the River Thames. Lewis Carroll is known, next to Edward Lear, as one of the most famous Nonsense poets and writers. Moreover, it is claimed that he was the first author to introduce Nonsense into children’s literature, and as result, had a huge impact with his Alice books on English children’s literature. The split between the two personalities, namely the Victorian author Carroll and the Reverend and mathematician Dodgson, who taught at Christ Church, Oxford, has to be considered in order to get a better understanding of the Alice books as a Nonsense Work.
This is exactly what will be done in this thesis. Firstly, there will be given a general overview on the author’s life. Secondly, the boat trip itself and with it the genesis of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There will be discussed. After that, a closer examination of the plot and its construction in both books will be given. In addition, similarities and differences will be shown between the construction of the plot of the first and the second Alice book. Furthermore, the characterization of the eponymous heroine “Alice” will be analyzed and will be regarded under Alice’s ability of imagination.
A special focus will be on the Nonsense fiction as such. A definition of Literary Nonsense will be given and varieties of Literary Nonsense will be examined on the basis of the two Alice books. Additionally, Lewis Carroll’s well-known poem “Jabberwocky” in Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There will be analyzed as an example of Nonsense Fiction. In the context of the poem “Jabberwocky”, there has also to be looked on the still ubiquitous Humpty Dumpty, who is next to the Duchess, March Hare...
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Victorian Author — Lewis Carroll vs. Charles L. Dodgson
3. The Genesis of Alice in Wonderland
4. The Construction of the Plot
5. The Heroine Alice and her Imagination
6. Nonsense in Alice in Wonderland
6.1 Definition of Literary Nonsense
6.2 Varieties of Nonsense in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
6.3 Varieties of Nonsense in Through the Looking-Glass
6.3.1 “Jabberwocky”
6.3.2 Humpty Dumpty's Concept of Language
7. Allusions to Philosophy
8. A Children’s Book or More?
9. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Thematic Focus
This thesis examines Lewis Carroll's Alice books as works of literary nonsense, analyzing how the author's dual persona and historical context influenced the creation of these stories. It explores the structural composition of the narratives, the characterization of Alice through her imagination, and the use of nonsense as a literary device, while also investigating the underlying philosophical implications of the texts.
- The influence of Carroll’s dual identity as Charles L. Dodgson and Lewis Carroll on his literary output.
- The formal construction and plot parallels between Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
- The role of Alice's imagination and self-identity within a nonsensical world.
- Definitions and varieties of "Literary Nonsense," including the significance of "Jabberwocky" and Humpty Dumpty’s linguistics.
- Philosophical themes within the books, such as Cartesian dualism and the logic of time and space.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The Genesis of “Alice in Wonderland”
Lewis Carroll met the four-year old Alice Pleasance Liddell and two of her sisters in 1865 for the first time at the Deanery of Christ Church, when he wanted to take a picture of the Cathedral. Carroll often spent time with the Liddell children. The father of the Liddell children was Carroll’s superior Dean Henry George Liddell, who is also known as the famous co-author of the Greek-English Lexicon Liddell-Scott. Carroll also was the tutor of Alice’s older brother Harry. His friendship with the children “grew and continued for almost ten years, though Dodgson never got well with either the Dean or Mrs. Liddell” (Green 13). From Carroll’s diaries we know today that he mostly visited the Liddells to see the girls when Mrs. Liddell was absent.
Before the famous boat trip, during which it is said that Carroll laid the foundations for Alice in Wonderland, there had been several boat trips and picnics with the Liddell girls on the Thames, which was then often called Isis in Oxford. Moreover, Alice recalls in her diary that the “party usually consisted of five — one of Mr. Dodgson’s men friends as well as himself and us three. His brother [Wilfred] occasionally took an oar on the merry party, but our most usual fifth was Mr. Duckworth, who sang well” (Green 15). Reverend Robinson Duckworth was Carroll’s friend and colleague from Trinity College.
Finally, on Friday July 4, 1862, the legendary boat trip took place. The date itself is “as memorable a day in the history of literature, [...] as it is in American history” (Gardner, The Annotated Alice 7). The same party as usual participated, as it is recorded in Alice’s diary, namely Carroll, Duckworth, Alice and her sisters Lorina Charlotte (called Ina) and Edith Mary (called Matilda or in short: Tillie). The group went together on the boat to go upstream to Godstow to have a picnic there. To entertain the girls and in order to meet Alice’s demand to tell a nonsensical story, Carroll made up Alice in Wonderland.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the scope of the thesis, focusing on Lewis Carroll's dual personality and the importance of analyzing his Alice books as works of literary nonsense.
2. The Victorian Author — Lewis Carroll vs. Charles L. Dodgson: Examines the life, habits, and professional background of the author, contrasting his life as a mathematician with his persona as a writer of children's stories.
3. The Genesis of Alice in Wonderland: Details the historical background of the Alice books, specifically focusing on the friendship with the Liddell children and the famous 1862 boat trip.
4. The Construction of the Plot: Compares the structural similarities between the two novels, specifically the use of a reality frame and a dream plot-line.
5. The Heroine Alice and her Imagination: Analyzes Alice's characterization as a curious and imaginative child and how these traits help her navigate her dream worlds.
6. Nonsense in Alice in Wonderland: Defines "Literary Nonsense" and provides an in-depth exploration of its various devices within Carroll's texts.
7. Allusions to Philosophy: Discusses how the Alice books engage with complex philosophical issues, including the mind-body problem and theories of personal identity.
8. A Children’s Book or More?: Evaluates the transition of the Alice books from literature intended for children into classic texts that engage adult readers through irony and complex themes.
9. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings of the thesis regarding the author's personality, the genesis of the books, the application of nonsense, and the broader appeal of the works.
Keywords
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland, Charles L. Dodgson, Literary Nonsense, Victorian Era, Jabberwocky, Humpty Dumpty, Plot Construction, Philosophical Allusions, Cartesian Dualism, Children's Literature, Portmanteau, Mirroring, Identity, Imagination
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work explores Lewis Carroll’s Alice books as significant examples of literary nonsense, considering how the author's personal life, the Victorian historical context, and formal narrative structures contribute to the depth of these works.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the distinction between Carroll and his persona Dodgson, the genesis of the stories through his friendship with the Liddell family, the analysis of linguistic nonsense, and the presence of complex philosophical problems within the narrative.
What is the central research objective?
The research aims to demonstrate that the Alice books are not merely simple children's tales but complex literary constructs that utilize specific nonsense devices to comment on Victorian society, linguistics, and philosophy.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The thesis employs literary analysis and historical reconstruction, drawing upon biographical data and established scholarly theories on nonsense literature to interpret the text.
What is discussed in the main body?
The main body investigates plot construction, the role of Alice's imagination, the definitions of literary nonsense, a detailed analysis of "Jabberwocky," and philosophical examinations regarding identity and the mind-body connection.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Central terms include Literary Nonsense, Victorian Era, Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky, philosophical allusions, and structural plot analysis.
How does the author define literary nonsense?
The author defines it as a genre that balances meaning and its absence, using devices like mirroring, simultaneity, neologisms, and portmanteau words to create a playful yet complex literary effect.
Why does Humpty Dumpty hold such a central place in the analysis?
Humpty Dumpty is analyzed because he acts as an authoritative, albeit arbitrary, linguistic figure who attempts to define the meaning of words, providing a crucial key to understanding the "Jabberwocky" poem.
How does the thesis address the "children's book" label?
It argues that while written for children, the books possess a complexity and level of social and philosophical criticism that make them profoundly relevant and enjoyable for adult readers.
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- Christin Maier (Autor:in), 2010, Lewis Carroll, "Alice in Wonderland" as a Work of Nonsense Fiction, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/287317
