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Emily Daniels

Mr. Van Velzer

English 9 Block 4

9 November 2013

Alices Adventures in Censorship

The book Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll has always served as a

reminder of the imagination and the adventures of childhood. However, the book was censored

in the Hunan Province in 1931 as well as Woodsville High for many different reasons including

drugs, sex, violence, and anthropomorphism, even though there were arguments on both sides of

the story.

The governor of the Hunan Province of China banned Alices Adventures in Wonderland

in 1931 for the simple reason animals should not use human language and that is was

disastrous to put animals and human beings on the same level (Hiatt). Basically, the book was

banned because of the use of anthropomorphism, or the attribution of human characteristics in an

animal, in certain characters such as the tardy white rabbit and the innocent, smoking

caterpillar (Hiatt). However, some argue that if animals were not allowed to talk, a young

bookcase would be uncomfortably bare (Hiatt).

The book has been banned by Woodsville High School in Haverhill, New Hampshire, and

challenged by countless other parental groups across the country, because the book encourages

drugs and child abuse as well as derogatory characterizations of teachers and religious
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ceremonies. Some believe that the twists and puns in the story are subtle satire of politics and

religion (Baldassarro).

This is because of possible refrence to the drug from The Mad Hatter having a card on

his hat which read 10/6, however, Lewis Carroll argued that he had never intended to hint

drug use, and that The Hatter used to carry about hats to sell, and even the one that hes got on

his head is meant to be sold for ten shillings and sixpence (Baldassarro). As for violence, some

argue that Royalty being a bit crazed and beheading everyone is part of history. However,

Woodsville High was still able to successfully ban the book, but many still believe that the book

will always be a reminder of the wonder and adventure of childhood (Baldassarro).

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Works Cited

Baldassarro, R. Wolf. Banned Books Awareness: Alice in Wonderland. Banned Books

Awareness. Deep Forest Productions. 2011. Web. 4 November 2013.

http://bannedbooks.world.edu/2011/08/01/banned-books-awareness-alice-wonderland/

Hiatt, Kerry. Banned Books: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. For Books Sake. 27 Sep

2010. Web. 4 Nov 2013. http://forbookssake.net/2010/09/27/banned-books-alice-in-

wonderland-by-lewis-carroll/