Alice Books Essay, Research Paper
Lewis Carroll, Christ Church College, and the Alice Books
Many of people know the children’s books, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There,” but do you know the person that wrote the two most recognized children’s books of all time. Lewis Carroll, who attended Christ Church College in Oxford, is considered the greatest writer of children’s literature.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on January 27, 1832. He was the oldest of eleven children. His father, Dr. Dodgson was the vicar of Daresbury, Cheshire. Dodgson’s parents were unusually religious and they were first cousins. Because Daresbury was so isolated and there was no want of children, Dodgson invented games to keep him and his brothers and sisters entertained. He made a troupe of marionettes and a stage with the help of family and a village carpenter. He wrote all the plays himself and manipulated the strings of the puppets. He made pets of snails and toads and attempted to promote modern warfare with earthworms by giving them small clay pipes for weapons (Kunitz 119). Dodgson’s father from the first took an active part in his son’s education and the following anecdote will show that he had at least a pupil who was anxious to learn: “One day, when Charles was a very small boy, he came up to his father and showed him a book of logarithms, with the request, ‘Please explain.’ Dr. Dodgson told him that he was much to young to understand anything about such a difficult subject. The child listened to what his father said, and he still insisted, ‘But please explain!’”(Collingwood 12) Until the age of twelve Dodgson’s father educated him, and then he went to Mr. Tate’s School at Richmond. From Richmond he went to Rugby under Dr. Tate (Kunitz 119). On May 23, 1850, he applied at Christ Church College, Oxford. In January the following year he became a resident of the college, and “from that day to the hour of his death – a period of forty-seven years – he belonged to ‘the House,’ never leaving it for any length of time…” (120).
Now I do not know if Dodgson’s matriculation to Christ Church provided him with his first view of Oxford. Perhaps he saw it from Magdalen Bridge, when one could look “straight across the Christ Church cricket-ground to the meadows beyond Cherwell…for an uninterrupted view of every tower in the city from Magdalen to the Cathedral…” (Morton 30). At Christ Church College, the undergraduates dining in the hall were divided into “messes.” Each mess consisted of about half a dozen men, who had a table to them. In Dodgson’s mess was Philip Pusey, the late Rev. G. C. Woodhouse, and among others, one who still lives in “Alice in Wonderland” as the “Hatter.” (Collingwood 47) The Dean of the College, Henry Liddell acquired a post of great influence. He spent thirty-six years at the College. Liddell married and had five children, two boys, one of which died of scarlet fever, and three daughters. Alice Liddell later became the reason for the writing of “Alice” (Morton 57).
It was when writing for a paper, The Train, that Dodgson felt the need of a pseudonym. He suggested four names to the editor of the paper, Edmund Yates, Edgar Cuthwellis, Edgar U. C. Westhall, Louis Carroll, and Lewis Carroll. The first two were formed from the letters of his two Christian names, Charles Lutwidge; the others are merely forms of those names – Lewis = Ludovicus = Lutwidge; Carroll =Carolus = Charles. Mr. Yates chose the last, as is apparent, and that became Dodgson’s ordinary nom de plume (67). In 1855, he received the appointment of lecturer in mathematics at Christ Church College. He held that position until 1881. Six years later he was ordained a deacon but never went on to priests orders. He did preach every once in a while, often to the servants of the college, but what he enjoyed most was preaching to children. Now from this time until his death in 1898, the story of Lewis Carroll is the story of his literary work and of his child friends. The story of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, mathematician, lecturer, and scholar, is secondary (Kunitz 120). On June 27, 1865 was when “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” was published (Morton 129). Six years later in 1872, “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There” was published (132). Carroll died at Guilford of influenza (Kunitz 121).
One day Dodgson took the day off and went rowing with the smaller daughters of the Dean of the College. That very eventful picnic was noted in Carroll’s neat and interminable diary that night. The entry runs as follows: “I made an expedition up the river to Godstow with the three Liddells; we had tea on the bank there and did not reach Christ Church until half-past eight.” But at that time he did not deem one subsequently enhanced detail of the day sufficiently important to be worth chronicling. He said nothing of the fairy tale he told that day. It was a tale of a little girl as the gravely attentive Alice Liddell who used to prod him when he ventured to not continue the story for a time. In response to such prodding he carried the story 1along on that and other afternoons and finally committed it to manuscripts as “Alice’s Adventures Underground.” Somewhat expanded this was published three years later as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (Woollcott 1). The publishing process was not the hard part of getting the book released. The difficult part was finding someone to illustrate the book. They eventually found John Tenniel, a well-known British caricaturist. When the book was released two thousand copies were printed, and were later recalled because Tenniel wasn’t satisfied with the printing of the pictures. After the release of the first “Alice,” Carroll then decided to write a sequel. “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There” was released six years later in 1872. Since their release neither “Alice” book has ever gone out of print. Now, in 1974 the London auctioneering firm of Sotheby Parke Bernet and Company listed, inconspicuously, the following item in their June 3 catalog:
Dodgson (C.L.) “Lewis Carroll.” Galley proofs for a suppressed portion of “Through the Looking-Glass” slip 64-67 and portions 63 and 68, with autograph revisions in black ink and note in the author’s purple ink that the extensive passage is to be omitted. The present portion contains an incident in which Alice meets a bad-tempered wasp, incorporating a poem of five stanzas, beginning “When I was young, my ringlets waven.” It was to have appeared following, “A very few steps brought her to the edge of the brook” on page 183 of the first edition. The proofs were bought…and are apparently unrecorded and unpublished.
The word “apparently” in the last sentence was an understatement. Not only had the suppressed portion not been published but also Carroll experts did not even know it had been set in type, let alone preserved. The discovery that it still existed was an event of major significance (Gardner ix). The main question of many experts is, “Was the Wasp episode worth preserving?” It was definitely worth it historically, but does it have essential merit? Many that have recently read the episode say that it is not up to standards with the rest of the book. Peter Heath feels that one reason the episode lacks the vivacity of the other parts of the book is that it repeats so many themes that occur elsewhere (3-4).
Christ Church College, the home of Lewis Carroll, had a great influence on what is considered the two greatest children’s books of all time. Lewis Carroll’s contribution to the world will never be forgotten, and he himself will never be forgotten as the greatest writer of children’s literature.
Cohen, Morton N. Lewis Carroll: A Biography. New York, 1995.
Collingwood, Stuart Dodgson. The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll. New York, 1898.
Gardner, Martin. The Wasp in a Wig. New York, 1977.
Kunitz, Stanley J. British Authors of the Nineteenth Century. New York, 1936.
Woollcott, Alexander. The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll. New York, n.d.
Другие работы по теме:
The Great Divorce Essay Research Paper In
The Great Divorce Essay, Research Paper In The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis uses autobiographical allusions in order to aid the reader in a better understanding of his conversion to Christianity. Throughout the entire novel, each character represents Lewis’ previous notions of Christ and Christianity (Alfred 1), and the people that aided in his understanding of Christ.
Hypocrisy In The ChurchYoung Goodman Brown Essay
, Research Paper People use one major excuse for their refusal of embracing Christianity in the Church:hypocrisy. This something that has been present in the Church since “Day One.” People use many of the misdeeds done in the of Christ as evidence, such as Crusades, the Inquistion, witch trails, and many other horrible acts.
A Strange Man Of Many Talents Essay
, Research Paper Cadyn Allen April 1, 1999 CP English IV Ms. Wade A Strange Man of Many Talents Lewis Carroll by today’s standards would be considered a weirdo. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, also known as Lewis Carroll, who was a separated man who delighted in the consortship of little girls.
The Church In The Middle Ages Essay
, Research Paper During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church directed its main goal as a basis for unity. Ironically, they preached so much on this theme that more people looked to the
Baptism Essay Research Paper
“People who are not regular churchgoers should not use the Church to mark important events in their lives.” Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer. Show you have thought about different points of view.
Know Why You BelievePaul E LittleBook Critique
Essay, Research Paper This book was a very well balanced look at one of the greatest problems with the Church today; the fact that most Christians know that they believe… but they don’t know why they believe. It covered topics such as is there a God? Did Christ really rise from the dead? Is the Bible God’s holy word? If God loves us so much, then why does he allow suffering and evil? And the mother taboo of them all, Is this whole thing even rational? Little takes on some of the most undesirable subjects in Christianity.
Prayer In John Irving
’s A Prayer For Owen Meany Essay, Research Paper Prayer As A Symbol in Irving s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY In John Irving s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY there are many prominent symbols. Those of arm-less figures, water, and angels are a few of the more prominent ones but, there are also many symbols that are much more subtle than those few.
Dose Poetry Matter Essay Research Paper Does
Dose Poetry Matter Essay, Research Paper Does Poetry Matter? To me poetry does not matter. I do not like poetry because a poem is just a passage that contains a hidden meaning and I can never figure out what a poem is about. If poetry was not around then authors would just come out and say what they wanted to say . Their thoughts would not get confused and people would not miss the meaning that the author is trying to get across.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
– Lewis Carroll Essay, Research Paper English 265 – Modern Poetry Poet: Lewis Carroll Term Paper Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on the 27th of January in the year of 1832 and died on the 14th of that same month in 1898. His pseudonym, Lewis Carroll, was born on March 1st, 1856 and was destined to live forever.
Lewis Carroll Essay Research Paper Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll Essay, Research Paper Lewis Carroll is one of the most well known Nonsense Writers. Though using nonsense in poetry has been dismissed as simply "for entertainment purposes", most nonsensical poetry acts as an allegory, has deep symbolism and leaves the door wide open for varying interpretations.
College Vs High School Essay Research Paper
From my college experience, I hope to gain many things. Obviously college is a time that students can truly become individuals. When I attend college I will have the opportunity to
Clive Staples Essay Research Paper Clive Staples
Clive Staples Essay, Research Paper Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast Ireland on November 29,1898. He wrote many books and won many awards in his lifetime. Many of his books are still read today.
Pride And Prejudice Essay Research Paper 51599The
Pride And Prejudice Essay, Research Paper 5.15.99 The Church of England, a Protestant Episcopal church which is the official established church of great Britain, is a branch off Catholicism without allegiance to the pope. The Expectations of a member of the clergy within this church are a set of both written and unwritten laws.
Lewis Carroll
’s Life And Influence In Alice In Wonderland Essay, Research Paper Of all of Lewis Carroll?s works, Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland has a unique standing in the category of whimsical, nonsense literature. Much has been written about how this novel contrasts with the vast amount of strict, extremely moralistic children?s literature of the Victorian time Lewis Carroll lived in.
Alice Essay Research Paper In Lewis Carroll
Alice Essay, Research Paper In Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice in Wonderland, Alice is curious, well-mannered, and confused while she tries to find her way out of Wonderland. Alice meets many unique and weird creatures which eventually help her escape wonderland. Alice shows that she is curious through her actions.
Alice In Wonderland Interpretations Essay Research Paper
Alice in Wonderland – Critical Review Philosophy – a subject that had driven people insane for as long as humans know their history. All the time people try to find a meaning, and later controvert it. For example, critics view a novel by Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as a quest for maturity story, Carroll’s view on Victorian Society and even existential meaning on life.
Differences Between Alice
’s Adventures In Wonderland And Through The Looking Glass Essay, Research Paper At the mention of the name Alice, one tends to usually think of the children?s stories by Lewis Carroll. Namely, Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are two classic works of children?s literature that for over a century have been read by children and adults alike.
Alice In Wonderland Essay Research Paper In
Alice In Wonderland Essay, Research Paper In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll tells an entertaining story about a young girl’s adventures in a strange “Wonderland.”
Mormons Essay Research Paper MormonsThe church that
Mormons Essay, Research Paper Mormons The church that I visited was the Church of Jesus Christ and the Later Day Saints in Santa Ana, CA. When I first got there I walked around the church and read some articles that I found on the walls. One article read that this church was the second largest Mormon Church in the world.
Lewis And Clark Discoveries Essay Research Paper
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION The Lewis and Clark Expedition were an important journey and a foundation of the creation of the United States. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on the exploration of the land gained by the Louisiana Purchase on May 1804. Lewis and Clark did not want was ahead on their long journey.
King Arthur And The Catholic Church Essay
, Research Paper Daniel Cappadora Monsignor Farrell Ms. Brickey The Catholic Church has many influences on King Arthur and the rest of his Knights of the Round Table. The knights depended on the church for its teachings and the great power the church held in society. The Knights of the Round Table pledged great loyalty to the church.
The Churches Of Christ A Comparative
Essay Essay, Research Paper The Churches of Christ: A Comparative Essay Over the past ten years there has been much controversy in the Christian and secular media about the International Churches of Christ (ICC), and the United
Carrol And Influences Of Alice In Wonderland
Essay, Research Paper Events or people in their lives inspire many authors. It is reflected in their writing. Lewis Carroll was inspired to write Alice in Wonderland by the real-life relationship with an Alice and his other child-friends.
Alice In Wonderland Essay Research Paper Alice
Alice In Wonderland Essay, Research Paper Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, a story about a little girl and her adventures in a dream-like place called wonderland, has been a beloved children’s story for over one hundred years. Though viewed by many as a simple children’s tale, if it is taken into a little more depth one will find that is a brilliant satire on the English system of government.
Alice In Wonderland Essay Research Paper As
Alice In Wonderland Essay, Research Paper As we read Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau, we enter into two unique worlds of imagination. Both Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells describe lands of intrigue and mystery. We follow Alice and Prendick into two different worlds where animals speak, evolution is tested, and reality is bent until it nearly breaks.
Alice Essay Research Paper As we read
Alice Essay, Research Paper As we read Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau, we enter into two unique worlds of imagination. Both Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells describe lands of intrigue and mystery. We follow Alice and Pren*censored* into two different worlds where animals speak, evolution is tested, and reality is bent until it nearly breaks.
Allusions Within Out Of The Silent Planet
Essay, Research Paper Although various biblical allusions appear in many novels, most are not easily interpreted. In order for a reader to be able to recognize an allusion they must first understand
Roman Catholic Churchhds4lessCom Essay Research Paper The
Roman Catholic Churchhds4less.Com Essay, Research Paper The Roman Catholic Church is the single largest Christian body. Catholics are Christians who follow the pope in Rome in matters of faith. Jesus’ Church is called catholic because it is his gift to all people. The word catholic means “universal” and has been used to identify the church since its early period when it was the only Christian church.
Something To Sing About Essay Research Paper
SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT Every since I can remember I have liked to watch movies, I would never watch a scary Movie during the right time. I would watch it during the day so I would not be as scared