Lewis Carroll Welcome to the Metaphorical Journeys Unit

Lewis Carroll Welcome to the “Metaphorical Journeys” Unit!

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1) How does a “journey” provide a means of communicating ideas about human experience? 2) How does disequilibrium and disruption of “normalcy” affect people’s perceptions of self, society, and/or the world? 3) How are universal conflicts shaped by the context of history and culture? 4) What themes arise from experience, and how does awareness of tone affect interpretation of these themes? (In other words, what does experience teach and how can attitude affect how these truths are understood? ) 5) In what ways does purpose shape life experiences?

Allegory § A story or poem with a double meaning.

All in a Golden Afternoon Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands make vain pretence Our wanderings to guide. Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour Beneath such dreamy weather, To beg a tale of breath too weak To stir the tiniest feather! Yet what can one poor voice avail Against three tongues together? Imperious Prima flashes forth Her edict to begin it In gentler tone Secunda hopes "There will be nonsense in it!" While Tertia interrupts the tale Not more than once a minute. Anon, to sudden silence won, In fancy they pursue The dream-child moving through a land Of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird or beast -And half believe it true. And ever, as the story drained The wells of fancy dry, And faintly strove that weary one To put the subject by, ‘The rest next time' -- 'It is next time!' The happy voices cry. Thus grew the tale of Wonderland: Thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint events were hammered out And now the tale is done, And home we steer, a merry crew, Beneath the setting sun. Alice! a childish story take, And with a gentle hand Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined In Memory's mystic band, Like pilgrim's wither'd wreath of flowers Pluck'd in a far-off land.

“All in a Golden Afternoon” This picture represents the day that Carroll was inspired to write the novel for his friend, Alice.

Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832 -1898) “Lewis Carroll is among the immortals of literature, C. L. Dodgson was soon forgotten, except by the very few. ” -- Claude M. Blagden, Student of Christ Church from 1896.

Personality § From childhood, interested in puppetry and magic tricks. § Taught children how to make paper boats and “poppers” § Specialized in photographs of children and famous people. § Invented math problems and word puzzles. § Played chess, backgammon, croquet, and billiards. § Patron of opera and theater.

A Writer In 1856 he published his first piece of work under the name that would make him famous. A very predictable little romantic poem called "Solitude" appeared in the Train under the authorship of 'Lewis Carroll'. In the same year, a new Dean arrived at Christ Church, Henry Liddell, bringing with him a young wife and children, all of whom would figure largely in Dodgson's life over the following years. He became close friends with the mother and the children, particularly the three sisters -- Ina, Alice and Edith. It seems there became something of a tradition of his taking the girls out on the river for picnics. It was on one such expedition, in 1862, that Dodgson invented the outline of the story that eventually became his first and largest commercial success -the first Alice book. Having told the story and been begged by Alice Liddell to write it down, Dodgson was evidently struck by its potential to sell well. He took the MS to Macmillan the publisher who liked it immediately. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865, under the penname Dodgson had first used some nine years earlier -- Lewis Carroll.

Alice Pleasance Liddell 1852 -1934 Alice Pleasance Liddell was born on the 4 th of May, 1852 in Westminster, the fourth child of Henry George and Lorina Hannah Liddell. Her father was, at the time, the dean of Westminster School, but was soon after appointed to the deanery of Christ Church, Oxford. The Liddell family moved to Oxford in 1856. It was soon after this move that Alice first met Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his nom de plume, Lewis Carroll, who came across the dean’s family while he was photographing the cathedral.

Alice grew up primarily in the company of her two nearest sisters, Lorina, who was three years older, and Edith, who was two years younger. When she was still an infant, one of her older brothers, Arthur, died of scarlet fever. One of her younger brothers later died as an infant. In all, there were eight Liddell children who lived into adulthood.

Much of Alice’s childhood was spent in the company of her sisters and Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who soon after their initial meeting became a frequent visitor. He entertained the girls by taking them on frequent boat trips and picnics in the scenic areas around Oxford, telling them fantastic stories to while away the time. He also used them as frequent subjects for his hobby, photography. Alice was clearly the favorite throughout these years, and she became the heroine of his tales, whilst his sisters Lorina and Edith played supporting roles.

The close relationship between Alice and Dodgson came to an abrupt end in 1863. There is not record of why the rift occurred, as Dodgson later destroyed the pages in his diary from that time period. It has been speculated that Alice’s mother, the socially-ambitous Lorina Liddell, disapproved of Dodgson’s interest in her daughter as she saw him as an unfit suitor. Another theory is that Dodgson was friendly with the girls in order to get closer to their governess. Alice’s commented as an old woman that Lorina Liddell destroyed all of the letters Dodgson wrote to the young Alice. His family has documents that suggest that he was more interested in either the governess--or even the girls’ mother.

Imagination is the air of mind. (Philip James Bailey) Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality. (Jules de Gaultier)

Victorian Classrooms

Victorian Classrooms

Victorian Classrooms

Victorian Classrooms

Victorian Classrooms

Answer this question in your notebook after your LEAD chart. Use an accordion pattern if helpful. What does Carroll’s tone in “All in a Golden Afternoon” reveal about his purpose in writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? Give evidence for your answer. EQ 4) What themes arise from experience, and how does awareness of tone affect interpretation of these themes?