His real name was Charles Dodgson and he taught mathematics at Christ Church college at Oxford University. He was one of the scientists who were concerned about the fact that at the time it was unclear where on the planet the date should change so that a person traveling around the world could plan his or her itinerary according to established schedules for boats and trains. The International Date Line it was put in place in 1884.
Alice in Wonderland
The books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass have many examples where language is used according to how it sounds or the double meaning of words is employed, adding curious twists and references to the conversation. Some of the dialogue is best read out loud to get full value from the hidden meanings of the language.
For example, when the Mock Turtle tells his story, he mentions that the master who had taught him was called Tortoise by the students. A reader might not notice, but when telling the story out loud, it becomes obvious that the name Tortoise sounds very similar to the words taught us. The Mock Turtle further explains that he was taught reeling and writhing, rather than reading and writing, which is what human children, including Alice, were (and still are) taught.
And who makes shoes under the sea? Soles and eels, of course. No doubt they specialize in soles and heals. Instead of blacking which was used in Alice's days to blacken shoes, the sea shoes were whitened with whitings. And so it continues – wise fish always have a porpoise, just as wise humans are meant to have a purpose.
Through the Looking Glass
In Through the Looking Glass there are further examples of Dodgson's witty use of language. The talking flowers, for example, explain to Alice how they are protected by a tree. And how can that be? asks Alice. Because they could bark if any danger came. They could say bough-wough with their boughs which sounds remarkably like a dog's bow-wow.
And why don't we humans know that flowers can talk? Because most flower beds are too soft, so the flowers are always asleep and do not speak.
Then there is the scene in the train where the horse speaks in a hoarse voice. The gnat then shows Alice the mysterious insects: the rocking-horse-fly, the snap-dragon-fly and the bread-and-butter-fly.
Sillygism
Syllogism is a logical construct. The most famous syllogism, introduced by Aristotle states that if all men are mortal and all Greeks are men, therefore all Greeks are mortal. Dodgson turns the syllogism around into what he calls a sillygism. One such illogical construct could be the statement by the dormouse during the Mad Hatter's tea party, when he asks, waking from deep sleep, whether the fact that he breathes when he sleeps means that he sleeps when he breathes.
Another example of Dodgson's wit is when Alice tells the White King she saw nobody in the woods and he admires her acute eyesight, to be able to see Nobody at a great distance.
It is hard to imagine a world without Alice's adventures and the many idioms and rhymes that have come into daily use from these classic stories.
Sources:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. Firefly Books Ltd.: Buffalo, New York. 2006.
Wilson, Robin. Lewis Carroll in Numberland. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, New York: 20008.
Join the Conversation