Questions to ponder upon throughout the reading of the text.

1. Discuss Alice’s treatment by the different characters she encounters in the books. Why do you think they act they way they do, and what does their behavior say about Alice?
[Alice's first encounter is with the White Rabbit, whom was constantly too busy with time to bother about Alice. However, when the rabbit finally payed attention to her, it mistook her for the housemaid Mary Ann. This only stands to assert the fact that Alice portrays a rather mediocre image of a housemaid. Moving on, the Mouse and the birds generally regard Alice rather inquisitively. The Mouse willingly told stories to Alice and the whole lot had a race to dry themselves. The Mouse eventually got fed up and insulted at Alice's consistent nonsense, whereas the birds were terrified when Alice mentioned her cat Dinah. On the other hand, the Pigeon mistook Alice for a serpent and expressed it's contempt for her. Besides that, the Caterpillar treated Alice like an innocent child; it acts as a sage-figure, whose mysterious silences and terse responses provide a sharp contrast to Alice's exasperation and confused replies.]

2. What is the significance of Alice’s fluctuations in size and shape in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
[Closely connected to growth into adulthood, size change is another recurring concept in the text. These dramatic changes in size point out at the radical changes the body undergoes during adolescence. It also symbolized her gradual emotional growth throughout the book. For instance, when she met the giant caterpillar, he told her that by eating one side of the nearby mushroom, she could grow taller. Eaten from the other side, the mushroom would make her reduce in size. She cleverly used this advantage to aid her in getting what she wanted and also to get where she wanted to go. Alice's size changes also bring about a change in perspective, and she begins to see the world from a very different view. As shown in the last trial scene, her growth into a giant reflects a much stronger, self-possessed person. She is then able to speak out against the unruly proceedings of the trial.]

3. Throughout the story, there are occasional oblique references to death. What purpose do these references serve in the stories, and why might Carroll include them?
[In his stories, Alice goes through moments where she faces death - narrowly missing it in some cases. This is exemplified during her encounter with the enormous puppy, where Alice was nearly trampled over. Another example of the recurring theme of death is, when the melancholy and pessimistic Mock Turtle is singing a song about turtle soup: “Though a real turtle need not be eaten, a Mock Turtle probably knows how he will end up.” This aspect of death is its inevitability. As growth is concerned, Carroll probably wanted to portray that mortality is inescapable and death is the final step of this process. Besides that, there’s the Queen of Hearts and her obsession with ordering beheadings. Overall, Alice's survival and growth from conflicts might reflect how Carroll escapes embarrassing situations by “laying low” and becoming skilled in avoiding confrontation.]

4. What role does the garden play in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
[Initially, the garden in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland serves as a place of longing for Alice. The sight of the garden draws Alice in with its “beds of bright flowers” and “cool fountains”. In Alice's mindset, she perceives the garden as a place of childlike grace and innocence. Alice’s desire to enter the garden corresponds to her desire to remain a child indefinitely. When she finally enters the garden, Alice discovers that the garden is a complete bogus. The garden turns out to be an imitation of childhood paradise, and in truth the inhabitants are irrational and ill tempered. In my opinion, the garden in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland acts as world of adults viewed in the eyes of a child.]

5. Discuss the significance of the Queen of Hearts in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
[As the clear ruler of Wonderland - the King seems to acknowledge the Queen's power - the Queen of Hearts functions as the primary antagonist, opposing Alice at every turn. She is, in fact, the heart or cause of Alice’s conflict with Wonderland. At the end, when Alice exposes the Queen as a fraud, claiming 'You're nothing but a pack of cards!', the dream of Wonderland ends abruptly. Many times in the book, Alice hesitates to reveal that fact, demonstrating the power of authority that the Queen of Hearts has in Wonderland. The Queen’s role was also to instill fear in her subjects and Alice with threats of decapitation - in which she was successful, though her threats were indeed hollow and nobody was ever executed.]