In Lewis Carroll'sAlice's Adventures In Wonderland, daydreams make a significant impact on Alice's life. As Alice daydreams, she is in fact learning important lessons that help her change and grow--actually mature. The theme that every experience, whether real or imagined, contributes to one's maturity is brought out through characterization and symbolism in the novel. Through direct characterization, one learns about Alice and her unique experiences. Carroll takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of Alice's adventures through her elaborate dreams. Alice is described in the novel as being very youthful. Though it is obvious that she is really young, she is dying to grow up. She is an eight year old that hates being eight, so she tends to dream so that she feels more mature and up to par with her older, and sometimes wiser, family. She tries to adapt to her surroundings. Even when people aren't around she tries to act proper and tries to talk sophisticated; for example, when she was falling down the rabbit hole, she made comments on what longitude and latitude she could be at (Carroll 20) though she had no clue what longitude or latitude meant.
Alice’s Abenteuer im Wunderland Übersetzer: Ant...
English: original illustration (1865) by John Tenn...
English: The cover of Alice's Adventures in Wonder...Also using direct characterization, Carroll shows Alice growing into an adult when she takes charge at the trial in chapter twelve. In this chapter, the Knave is on trial for stealing tarts. After making quick judgment without any evidence, the queen quickly orders "off with his head."ÃÂ(Carroll 116) Alice tells her that it is "stuff and nonsense"ÃÂ(Carroll 116) then, after arguing with the queen, Alice asks, "who cares for you? You're nothing but a deck of cards"ÃÂ (Carroll 116). This statement shows how Alice matures to stand up for what she believes in. She doesn't let anyone run over her or anyone else, especially people...