Analysis Of Alice In Wonderland By Lewis Carroll

At first glance, the story Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll seems to differ from the findings that Thomas C. Foster has written about in his novel How to Read Literature Like a Professor. However, when taking a closer look at the text, Foster’s findings become more evident. Foster explains that every meal between characters in a novel is like a communion. He also believes that eating is the most intimate thing characters can do with each other. In Alice in Wonderland, the mad tea party scene seems to be full of riddles and nonsense, making the act of eating seem unimportant. Although, Alice learns insightful lessons during the tea party and becomes more open to the belief’s of the residents in Wonderland, showing the meal’s significance.

He states, “The act of taking food into our bodies is so personal that we really only want to do it with people we’re very comfortable with” (9). Therefore, you don't invite just anyone to a meal with you, they have to have some significance in your life. Alice being invited to the mad tea party not only shows the bond she’s created with the people of Wonderland, but also the openness of the characters. During the tea party the use of riddles shows the familiarity everyone has with each other which is essential to a communion of any kind. The riddles and nonsense of the Mad Hatter contribute to Alice’s social and mental development throughout the novel. For example, when Alice notices the Mad Hatters watch is two days off and doesn't actually have the time on it, “‘What a funny watch!’ she remarked. ‘It tells the day of the month, and doesn’t tell what o’clock it is!’” (Lewis 99-100). At first, Alice didn’t understand why the Mad Hatter’s concept of time was different from hers and believed his view of time didn’t make much sense. However, this turns into a powerful lesson for Alice. This suggests to Alice that time can be subjective; it can appear differently to different people. What Alice considered to be the most universal thing in the world, time, is not necessarily universal. Behind all of the jokes and nonsensical statements made during the tea party, there is a real connection between the characters as they teach one another valuable