Alice in Wonderland Critical Approach Essay

606 Words3 Pages
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, and anthropomorphic creatures. Author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym of Lewis Carroll wrote the story, in 1865. He created this story on a sunny July day in 1862, while on a boating trip up the Thames River. This timeless classic incorporates history, and clearly reflects the Victorian Era throughout the character’s education, their attitude towards children and . The early Victorian era marked the emergence of a large middle-class society for the first time in the history of the western world. Men and women did not receive the same education during the Victoria era. Women that were the Upper Class (Nobility) had the opportunity in obtaining an education. Lower class Victorian women had a smaller chance of obtaining an education. Their education comprised teachings that helped woman succeed in their domestic roles, and less so towards the traditional academics. In the novel, Alice talks to a turtle about her education, "'Ah! Then yours wasn't a really good school,' said the Mock Turtle in a tone of great relief. 'Now at ours they had at the end of the bill, "French, music, and washing- extra." (Carroll 112). Alice’s encounter with the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon provided insights into what was typically learned during the Victorian era. The Mock Turtle emphasized on washing. In the Victorian era, a lower-class woman’s education would involve a trivial lesson, such as washing. The fact that the Mock Turtle found washing to be important is not surprising. Alice attempted to demonstrate her intelligence by using big words, "'Yes, that's about the right distance - but then I wonder what Latitude or Longitude I've got to?' (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but thought they were nice
Open Document