Alice, the Hero
The implications of Alice in Wonderland for the everyday college student are actually quite ridiculous. Though wonderland itself may seem fantastical and distant from the world that we live in, it is actually quite the opposite. Wonderland is simply an alternate world that mirrors our own, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Carroll intended it to be that way. Alice’s encounters with the characters in the novel, and her subsequent overcoming of the world that she finds herself in, make her nothing short of a hero. Alice, like any traditional hero garnered the ability to stand up to evil authority (the Queen) and deal with elements of the insane and annoying in every day life (you choose - anywhere from the Mad Hatter to the March Hare).
[2] In a room so small...
In a world gone so insane it’s difficult to cope with the situation. For example, a being so tall in a room so small would undoubtedly present a feat that only a true hero could overcome. In fact, it’s almost impossible. But not for Alice. She was able to find herself in a world gone mad, which, ironically is the challenge that we all face in today’s society. Alice’s heroism and journey is a mirror for our own lives. Alice wanted to find her way, no matter where she was going, “as long as I get somewhere!” [3]. But where she found herself was somewhere that she had never expected to be.
[4] The caterpillar.
The most quintessential part of the Alice book in relation to our journey is when she encounters the caterpillar. “Who are you?” he asks. To which she replies, “I hardly know, Sir, just at present- at least I know who I was when I got up this morning.” [5] Like Alice, we all may have known who we were when we got up this morning, but at this point do we really know WHO we are? No matter what stage of our life we’re in, it never hurts to ask ourselves the question, for, if we can find the answer, we may end up being heroes like Alice.
[3] Carroll, Lewis. “Alice in Wonderland” from “The Annotated Alice.” Ed. Martin Gardener. Norton: New York, NY 2005. p. 65.
[5] Carroll, Lewis. “Alice in Wonderland” from “The Annotated Alice.” Ed. Martin Gardener. Norton: New York, NY 2005. p. 47.
