Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll

A segunda semana do curso Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World nos presenteou com as histórias de Alice. Foi a primeira vez que li estes clássicos, e se mostraram uma experiência única. O curso nos forçou a pensar em várias interpretações para os inúmeros símbolos e situações que Carroll criou. Eu particularmente gostei mais de Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, não que Through the Looking Glass seja ruim, mas o primeiro fluiu melhor.

Mais uma nota 4. Estudando e se esforçando para tirar pelo menos uma nota máxima que é 6.

Segue abaixo minhas considerações e avaliações.


ESSAY

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass are dreams narratives of a little girl where the reality’s rules are broken. This is analyzed by the very character as a game, that she needs to understand and solve it before awakes.

There are several symbolisms and interpretations. There is the golden key symbolizing the access to something valuable, and the thimble taken from Alice which is later returned to her as a prize for the race, which may symbolize the way government takes money from citizens and then returns it as political projects. There are also the lion and the unicorn fighting for the crown, remembering that the UK Royal Coat of Arms consists of a Lion representing England and a Unicorn representing Scotland.

The most important interpretations are the changes, conflicts and lessons from life, symbolized by the change of Alice’s size. She is always growing or shrinking, depends on the situation. At first, Alice shrinks and seems to become insignificant. In some episodes, Alice grows uncontrolled. Human beings realize that many responsibilities are inherent to growth.

In many circumstances size represents new possibilities. Small, Alice can enter the garden, but when she is big, she can get the key. Size changes affects the character’s psychological aspect, leading her to explore her capabilities. When her neck grows, her powers of observation become larger. After experiences we have a new world view. Alice considers wonderland more fun, but misses the real world.

At the end, Alice recovers her normal size, but the maturity acquires from the experiences throughout history gives her great courage to face trials. Alice seeks to excel in every obstacle, rising to the stature of a heroin. And even her constant identity crisis cannot prevent her from questioning and desiring to change her size to go in new places. The last change occurs spontaneously, perhaps because Alice was about to return to reality.

FORM REVIEW

Student 1 → "...but the maturity acquires (sic) from the experiences throughout history..." Uncertain about what this statement refers to. "...rising to the stature of a heroin (sic)." Writer needs to proof the text before submission.

 

Student 2 → This is analyzed by the very character as a game, that she needs to understand and solve it before awakes. Do you mean: Clearly she has entered a game: a puzzle in which Alice needs to first understand, and then solve before she awakes. Your original sentence is not structurally sound. You combine the key and the thimble. Separate these objects and explain their symbolic value separately--does the key symbolize the take-give government concept as well? Alice grows uncontrollably. Take out "at first glance". acquires should be "she acquires"--with out the subject it doesn't make sense. Take out "throughout history" and change to "in wonderland".

 

Student 3 → I like the paragraph structure that keeps ideas separated. Keep that up! I also like the introductory para and the ending para. Together they give a rounded-out impression. There are some grammar problems, for example "are dreams narratives". Not sure, but probably you mean "are dream narratives". Another: "maturity acquires" -> "maturity acquired". Then some of the idiomatic expressions are a bit off, for example "to excel in every obstacle". I guess, "to excel in the face of obstacles", or "courageously face every obstacle". Small stuff, but it would really help to get them right. 

 

CONTENT REVIEW

 

Student 1 → I disagree with the content although it does give me something new to think about. Carroll made up the Alice story from whole cloth to entertain bored girls while boating one afternoon. The symbolism is apt in many ways as Carroll, a well educated man, could easily draw on political symbols such as the lion and unicorn from history. I doubt any inference to modern systems of taxation and return in the form of gevernment spending projects.

 

Student 2 → You say a lot of interesting things. I appreciate the Scotland vs. England explanation. The thimble idea is interesting too. The growing and shrinking, and the long-neck giving her more perspective is a good point too. As are your others. You actually have a unifying idea, but adding in the symbols at the beginning make you basically without a thesis. If I were you I would focus on the interesting symbols and dive deeper into the political message Lewis Carroll may be sending. Otherwise, you could dive deeper into the size/maturity thing--but always search for new ideas--I mean this size and maturity thing is standard--what new ideas that have never been written about can you find? What direct quotations from the text bring this theme to the forefront in a "not so obvious" way?

 

Student 3 → The essay is nicely illustrated by examples form the text, showing that the author has read the text carefully. Good discussion of the symbols (golden key, hat, lion and unicorn) that occur in the text. Last para feels a bit cramped, but makes its point.

 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

 

Student 2 → When you write "Alice considers Wonderland more fun but misses the real world-- it seems like an idea not really related to her neck growing. But I think you have an important connection. Wipe out that first symbolic list and use the time to explain ideas, and find direct quotations that prove your ideas are solid. Actually I find the political ideas way more interesting! Also note that the unicorn and lion are in Looking-Glass and every single other idea is from Wonderland--this adds to the disjointed content and the lack of focus in your paper. So, my heart-felt advice to you would be to take notes while you read, forget using the internet to find ideas, come up with your own idea--just one--and honesty defend why you must be right.