Analysis of Alice in Wonderland

The main points of this paper are:

There's a lot of satire about the Victorian age in the book.

The book was published in 1865.

Victorian society was divided into well-developed social classes.

People moved from the rural areas to the cities, sometimes finding jobs in various factories. The working conditions were poor, wages low and child labor was in effect.

The more advances industry made the wider the gap between rich and poor became.

The Poor Laws forced people into workhouses and orphanages.

Victorian society pushed the morals of severe moral probity, restraint, reserve, a lack of humor, an uncomfortable view towards sex, intolerance of 'deviants' of any kind (lunatics, criminals, stray women), etc.

The characters in Wonderland don't follow the normal rules of speaking logically.

The British empire was expanding, going into new areas with new cultures. Alice basically is an explorer, going into a new area with new characters who have a weird culture of their own.

The various games she ends up involved with she at first approaches expecting the 'normal' rules to apply but Wonderland has its own rules (or total lack thereof.)

Victorian morality had a low tolerance of crime.

Authority figures in Wonderland are shown as inconsistent and untrustworthy.

The trial scene is a parody of actual British justice.

Children at the time were subject to 'harsh regimentation.'

Poems had to be memorized and even the physical positioning of the body had to be done correctly.

Alice was very conscious of herself.

Victorian etiquette is ridiculed at times.

The satire focuses on British imperialism and the British judicial system.

All the adult characters in Wonderland have character defects.

Main Index

Main Alice in Wonderland index page