Alice in Wonderland

Simulation
Welcome to the metaphorical journey of Alice!
Your job is to take on the role of your character and to
help Alice find her metaphorical way home.
You should answer the questions as a group as though you
were answering for your particular character during the
Victorian time period.

Alice is lost!
Alice is lost, and she needs your help to get her home
and to get her further along her journey of internal
and external conflict.
Every choice you make will have a positive or negative
consequence that puts you further along the path or
leads you astray. Decisions should be made based on
the character role you have acquired.

Alice is lost! Continued

You will find out what the consequences are from the
teacher, Alice, once you have shared them with the
class.
Though your decisions may yield frustrating results at
times, it is important to continue answering true to
character.
Lets begin!

Scene 1
Alice is sitting in her Victorian classroom. She is daydreaming about more
amusing matters while sitting in formulaic rows. Her teacher approaches
her and asks her, Where is your mind?
How should she respond?
A. With a blank stare.
B. With defiance and a witty remark.
C. Apologize and state that she is thinking about the lesson at hand.
D. Storm out of the classroom.

Scene 1 Consequences
Alice is sitting in her Victorian classroom. She is daydreaming about more amusing
matters while sitting in formulaic rows. Her teacher approaches her and asks her,
Where is your mind?
How should she respond?
A. With a blank stare. The teacher makes a comment under her breath and moves on.
B. With defiance and a witty remark. Alice is subjected to a ruler slapped on her desk
and the dunce hat.
C. Apologize and state that she is thinking about the lesson at hand. No
consequences, but she feels sad and constrained.
D. Storm out of the classroom. Alice will have to face her parents and the punishment
they will have at home for her, but after a brief idyllic walk.

Scene 2
Alice wanders away from her sister. While randomly
exploring, she comes across a white rabbit who is
dressed very formal and proper. He seems to be in a
rush somewhere and disappears into a hole in the
ground. Alice is intrigued.
What should Alice do?
A. Go back and find her sister.
B. Follow the rabbit down the hole.
C. Keep wandering around and exploring.
D. Wait by the hole to see if the rabbit returns.

Consequences
Alice wanders away from her sister. While randomly exploring, she comes
across a white rabbit who is dressed very formal and proper. He seems to
be in a rush somewhere and disappears into a hole in the ground. Alice is
intrigued.
What should Alice do?
A. Go back and find her sister. Her metaphorical journey has ended for the
day.
B. Follow the rabbit down the hole. She is now officially lost.
C. Keep wandering around and exploring. She has not begun her journey
yet, nor has she become lost.
D. Wait by the hole to see if the rabbit returns. Alice is still sticking to
traditional norms and holding onto societal expectations.

Question
What does the white rabbit symbolize?

Scene 3
After falling down the rabbit
hole. Alice is now in Wonderland.
Alice finds a mystery drink inside
of room that she is trapped in
because she is too big to go
through the door.
What should Alice do?
A. Yell and cry out for help.
B. Try to squeeze through the
little door anyway.
C. Drink the mystery liquid.
D. Take a nap and hope that
things are better when she
awakens.

Scene 3
Consequences
After falling down the rabbit hole. Alice is
now in Wonderland. Alice finds a mystery
drink inside of room that she is trapped in
because she is too big to go through the
door.
What should Alice do?
A. Yell and cry out for help. Alice stays in the
room for an indeterminate amount of
time. Probably until someone finally hears
her. She continues to be helpless.
B. Try to squeeze through the little door
anyway. She gets stuck in the door and
cannot move forward or backward.
C. Drink the mystery liquid. She shrinks in
size and can easily walk through the door.
D. Take a nap and hope that things are
better when she awakens. She wakes up
and realizes she was dreaming the whole
time. She is back in her normal life at
square one.

Scene 3
Bonus Question
What metaphors are
starting to emerge
literally and figuratively?

Scene 4
After ingesting a series of
random things that increase
and decrease her size, Alice
meets a talking caterpillar. He
instructs her to eat a
mushroom to control her size.
What should Alice do?
A. Yell and cry out for help
from this stranger.
B. Eat the mushroom.
C. Decline and continue to
wander around aimlessly
eating random size
changing objects, refusing
to believe any of this
nonsense.
D. Ask more questions from
the caterpillar before
making any decisions.

After ingesting a series of random things that increase

and decrease her size, Alice meets a talking caterpillar.
He instructs her to eat a mushroom to control her size.
What should Alice do?
A. Yell and cry out for help from this stranger. Alice
frightens those around her and finds herself all alone
in the middle of Wonderland.
B. Eat the mushroom. She gets larger and smaller until
she figures out how it works and can continue on her
way.
C. Decline and continue to wander around aimlessly
eating random size changing objects, refusing to
believe any of this nonsense. Alice remains in
Wonderland, indefinitely lost.
D. Ask more questions from the caterpillar before making
any decisions. The caterpillar refuses to answer Alices
questions because she has insulted him.

Scene 4Consequences

Scene 4
Bonus Question
What is the meaning of
this scene in relation
to Alices metaphorical
journey and her
internal quest?

Scene 5

The tables have been turned! Alice finds herself at a Mad Tea Party that she was not invited to but joins anyway. The hosts
are talking about a bunch of nonsense and telling riddles with no answer.
How should Alice respond, and how should this make her feel?
A. She sits quietly and listens, feeling indifferent.
B. Alice is intrigued by the interesting nonsense and hilarity of it all. She takes part in the creation of more nonsense.
C. Alice scolds her hosts and tells that they are rude. She feels like her time has been wasted.
D. Alice is confused and wanders away.

Scene 5
Consequences

The tables have been turned! Alice finds herself at a Mad Tea Party that she was not invited to but joins anyway. The hosts are talking about a bunch
of nonsense and telling riddles with no answer.
How should Alice respond, and how should this make her feel?
A. She sits quietly and listens, feeling indifferent. Alice gets stuck at this tea party forever.
B. Alice is intrigued by the interesting nonsense and hilarity of it all. She takes part in the creation of more nonsense. Alice slowly loses a grip on
reality.
C. Alice scolds her hosts and tells them that they are rude. She feels like her time has been wasted. Alice continues on her path with a new
perspective on the usefulness, or not, of nonsense.
D. Alice is confused and wanders away. Alice is still helplessly lost.

Scene 5
Bonus Question
What might Alice be starting to realize and appreciate more after this
encounter? Consider: How does that help her along her journey?

Alice is now extremely lost within

Wonderland. She has recently
witnessed adults treating a baby with
carelessness. She is having trouble
understanding why these adults
are not behaving by the norms she is
used to in Victorian society. She asks
the friendly Cheshire Cat for
guidance on which way to go, but he
responds that if she doesnt know
where she wants to go, then it
doesnt matter which way. He
continues his conversation wit her:
But I dont want to go among mad
people, Alice remarked.
Oh, you cant help that, said the
Cat, were all made here. Im mad.
Youre mad.
How do you know Im mad? said
Alice.
You must be, said the Cat, or you
wouldnt have come here.

Scene 6
How does this influence Alices
journey in Wonderland?
A. Alice is angry.
B. It doesnt.
C. She starts to consider the
deeper meaning of his
words.
D. Alice is confused and

Alice is now extremely lost within

Wonderland. She has recently
witnessed adults treating a baby with
carelessness. She is having trouble
understanding why these adults
are not behaving by the norms she is
used to in Victorian society. She asks
the friendly Cheshire Cat for
guidance on which way to go, but he
responds that if she doesnt know
where she wants to go, then it
doesnt matter which way. He
continues his conversation wit her:
But I dont want to go among mad
people, Alice remarked.
Oh, you cant help that, said the
Cat, were all made here. Im mad.
Youre mad.
How do you know Im mad? said
Alice.
You must be, said the Cat, or you
wouldnt have come here.

Scene 6
Consequences

How does this influence Alices journey

in Wonderland?
A. Alice is angry. This doesnt get her
anywhere.
B. It doesnt. She keeps going in
circles.
C. She starts to consider the deeper
meaning of his words. She goes
mad.

Scene 6 Bonus
Question
How does this scene relate to real
life?
What comments on the world may be
emerging here?

Scene 7

Alice has finally arrived at the Queen of Hearts garden, which she first saw after falling down the rabbit hole.
The queen, a short-tempered and fierce woman, makes wild accusations and demands for decapitation of
many characters. She asks Alice for advice in mediating conflict and to play croquet with her.
How should Alice respond?
A. With courage and insolence.
B. With respect.
C. With fear and pleading for her life.
D. Say nothing.

Alice has finally arrived at the Queen of Hearts garden, which she first saw after
falling down the rabbit hole. The queen, a short-tempered and fierce woman,
makes wild accusations and demands for decapitation of many characters. She
asks Alice for advice in mediating conflict and to play croquet with her.

Scene 7

How should Alice respond?

A. With courage and insolence. Alice is starting to have courage and

understanding her power within Wonderland. She may find her way home.
B. With respect. She has given into the Victorian way of life and has chosen to
allow others to rule her.
C. With fear and pleading for her life. She remains at the mercy of others.
D. Say nothing. She is still clueless and has no idea what is going on in her life.

Question
What parallels do you see
between this scene and the
original scene in the
Victorian classroom?

Scene 8 Final Scene

Alice has been summoned to a

court trial to testify for the King
and Queen of Hearts. When
Alice takes the stand, she
states that, [the trial] doesnt
matter a bit. The queen
becomes frustrated with Alice
and demands for her head.

What should Alice do?

A. Apologize and try to play
along with the nonsensical
trial.
B. Cry and run away.
C. Call out to the White Rabbit
for help.
D. Grow really tall and brush
all the cards away.

Scene 8 Final Scene

Alice has been summoned to a

court trial to testify for the King
and Queen of Hearts. When
Alice takes the stand, she
states that, [the trial] doesnt
matter a bit. The queen
becomes frustrated with Alice
and demands for her head.

What should Alice do?

A. Apologize and try to play along with
the nonsensical trial. Alice will be
stuck in Wonderland forever and
controlled by others.
B. Cry and run away. Alice will be stuck
in Wonderland forever and living in
fear.
C. Call out to the White Rabbit for help.
Alice will likely be stuck in
Wonderland and relying on others.
D. Grow really tall and brush all the
cards away. Alice finally learns how
to help herself and decides to wake
up from the dream. Thus, she returns
back home.

Question
What was Alices metaphorical journey
home about?
What did she learn about herself from this
experience?

Closing
What did YOU learn from this experience?
How did the experience make you feel?
Was it possible to win the game (help Alice get home)
from your characters perspective alone? Why or why
not?