Alice in Wonderland : A Window on Victorian England

Introduction

Lewis Carroll was a mathematics teacher at Oxford University during the latter half of the 19^th Century, but he is best-known around the world as the author of a couple of children's books featuring a little girl named Alice. Although Alice in Wonderland was ostensibly written for children, it is full of humor and satire that only adults may fully appreciate. Throughout his book, Carroll pokes fun at the British government and at Victorian society, giving today's readers a glimpse at what life may have been like in Victorian England.

The questions below will guide you on your mission and help you answer the big question: How does Lewis Carroll use satire in his children's book Alice in Wonderland ?

Guiding Question

How does Lewis Carroll use satire in his work Alice in Wonderland? How does his use of satire help today's readers understand the problems of his day?

Questions

1.) What is satire? How did it develop? Has it always been used in literature?
2.) What satirical elements are found in Alice in Wonderland?
3.) How does Carroll's use of animals add to the humor of his book?
4.) How does Carroll satirize the government? Give specific examples.
5.) What is a caucus?
6.) How does Carroll satirize society? Give specific examples.
7.) Why did Carroll choose a little girl to be the protagonist of his story?
8.) How did the government or the public react to his book when it was first published?
9.) What kind of problems or flaws were common in England in the latter part of the 19^th Century?
10.) Which other authors from Victorian England used satire in their writings?

Internet Resources

About the Collection
Development and Use of Satire  
Classic Notes on Alice in Wonderland
Victorian England Authors of Satire
Explanation for Alice in Wonderland
What is a caucus?
History of Victorian England
Language and Humor
Justice and Government - Alice in Wonderland
Victorian Hunger and Malnutrition in Alice in Wonderland

Activities

1.) Research and describe the use of satire in literature.
2.) Write a paragraph explaining satire.
3.) Imagine yourself living in Victorian England and illustrate a scene you might witness there.
4.) Imagine yourself a citizen in Victorian England. Write a letter explaining your attitude toward society and government.
5.) How can this attitude be seen in recent times?

Peter Suttle, Teacher, and Eva Chen, AP student, collaborated to develop this web hunt.

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