Introduction

Lewis Carroll’s children’s fantasy novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland began as an oral tale told by Carroll to three little girls, the daughters of his friend Henry Liddell. The girls were so delighted with the story that Carroll continued it the next time he saw them, expanding and deepening it. He also jotted the tale down and added illustrations. As the years passed and he worked more on the story, Carroll decided to publish an extended version, which appeared for the first time in 1865 with illustrations by John Tenniel.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland broke the proverbial mold of children’s stories. Most of those in Carroll’s day aimed to teach moral lessons; many did so in a rather prim, preachy manner. Carroll’s story, on the other hand, is meant primarily to amuse and delight. That does not mean there are no lessons in the tale—merely that they dwell beneath the story itself. Readers absorb them almost—but not quite—by accident as they laugh at Alice’s ridiculous adventures in Wonderland.

Plot Summary

A little girl named Alice is sitting near a river bank one summer afternoon, feeling “very sleepy and stupid,” when she is surprised to see a White Rabbit run past. As he does, he looks at his pocket watch and laments that he will be late. Alice follows the Rabbit and jumps down a rabbit hole, landing in a hallway filled with locked doors. The Rabbit scampers away, and Alice discovers a golden key and the small door it opens. Behind the door lies a beautiful garden.

Alice, however, cannot enter, as she is too big. Compelled by the garden's beauty, she drinks from a bottle labeled “Drink Me” and shrinks, only to discover that she has forgotten the key on the table and cannot reach it. Alice eats a little cake labeled "Eat Me" and grows tall, only to be frustrated again. She cries so many tears that they become a sea. When she shrinks again, she and many animals and birds are nearly swept away by the waters of her sorrow. They have to run a hectic, pointless race to dry off, which the animals call a "caucus race."

Alice sees the Rabbit again, who mistakes her for his housemaid. While in his house, she ends up growing again and nearly becomes trapped in the house. Shrinking once more, she runs into the woods. By this time, Alice, now tiny in size, feels confused and uncertain—not only about her surroundings but herself. Soon after her hurried flight from the White Rabbit's home, she encounters a Caterpillar smoking a hookah pipe, who offers her a mushroom: one side will make her grow, and the other will make her shrink. After several tries, she learns how to control her size.

Alice then goes to the Duchess’ home, where everyone is sneezing due to too much pepper in the soup. There, Alice briefly nurses a baby who turns into a pig, confusing the poor girl even further. 

After leaving the Duchess' home, Alice meets the Cheshire Cat, a large, grinning, and deeply mysterious cat who can become invisible at will. Following the encounter with the cat, Alice walks deeper into Wonderland, stumbling across a tea party attended by the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and a sleepy Dormouse. At first relieved by the familiar setting, she soon grows frustrated with the group's nonsensical speech and irritating behaviors.

Leaving the tea party behind, Alice ventures even further. Shortly after, she enters the beautiful garden of the King and Queen, whose soldiers are all playing cards. She joins a croquet game played with flamingos and hedgehogs and is shocked as the Queen continually yells: “Off with her head!” or “Off with his head!” about anyone who offends her. Annoyed with the game and fearful for her head, Alice again leaves to continue her journey, explaining that she intends to meet the Gryphon and...