Through the Looking Glass

P: What do you think is Carroll's implicit purpose for creating this novel?

R: I think that, of course, Carroll wrote this novel as a sequel to the first and to continue Alice's journey, however, I also believe that both of these novels have and implicit purpose as well and I'd like to include a passage I've found that I feel reflects this purpose:

"I can't believe that!" said Alice.

"Can't you?" the Queen said in a pitying tone. "Try again; draw a long breath, and shut your eyes."

Alice laughed . "There's no use trying," she said; one can't believe impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age I always did it for half and hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." (p. 222).

I believe that as Carroll wrote these novels for the entertainment of children, he was indeed carrying most of his purpose in expanding the imaginations of young girls and boys. I have heard through other's that have read the tale that there were political undertones in the novel, but the fact of the matter is he was truly writing a fairy tale no matter what way you look at it. Carroll has created now two dream worlds that revolve around impossible characters and impossible events but this never stopped readers from admiring the novel. I believe he created these books to show readers that no matter what age you are, it is never a bad thing to use your imagination. Alice is advised throughout the tale to keep an open mind and she learns that the logical thing is not always the right thing to do when trying to get where you are going. Carroll provides a fresh perspective on each thing that Alice encounters and I feel like Carroll wanted that same mind set to reflect back to his readers. I know that in reading these two novels I have found a deep appreciation for the years where creating imaginary worlds was a easy as closing my eyes and letting my creativity run free.

Through the Looking Glass

P: What passage(s) do you particularly like in the book? Why?

R: "Do you hear the snow against the window panes Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder is the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'" ( p. 153). This passage continues on for a few more sentences but I just wanted to include and excerpt. As I mentioned in a previous blog, Carroll has a brilliant way of portraying the mind of a seven year old girl. I felt like this passage aptly reflected that brilliance. He has a way of making Alice's thoughts so curious and sweet that you can't help but appreciate her. The thoughts he has created are so new and fresh that you just wish you still saw the world in this same fantasy filled way. Alice is also speaking to her kitten as she begins this train of thought and I thought that this was a nice continuation of a character trait from the first novel. In Alice in Wonderland we learn of Alice's pet cat Dinah whom she talks about often but we never directly meet. The kitten Alice is speaking to now is actually one of Dinah's kittens. This represents that time has passed since the first book depicting a time in Alice's life and also carries over Alice's love for cats from the first novel to the second.