Surname 1

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Literary nonsense is the use of language that has no meaning by pairing it with language that has
meaning. Such text helps a reader to an eye opener that make sense and have knowledge of how reality
works. Lewis Carroll’s Alice Adventure in wonderland, is an example of children’s fiction, and there are
a lot of nonsensical elements in the text. In the first chapter, Alice seems to be falling in a rabbit hole for a
long time, “either the well was very deep or she feel slowly (Carroll, 3).” The way Alice falls creates a
nonsense thinking because it very unlikely that anyone can fall slowly. Falling is always a fast process
and hence there is no logic in the action. However, Carroll allows readers to have different imaginations
which create unique reading experience.
Further, nonsense literature has also been used in the book to show absurdity. At the first when she When
Alice drinks the liquid in the bottle marked, “DRINK ME” she gets a curious feeling and says, “I must be
shutting up like a telescope (Carroll, 11).” The language used here creates meaning to a language that
seems to lack meaning. Telescopes in the Victorian era had several parts that fit into each other, hence the
shrinking analogy. Alice wishes she can shrink like a telescope to fit in the small door, and this absurdity
in representation of Alice creates nonsense literary.
Question 2
There are different themes in the chapters. Firstly there is a theme of dream and reality. The whole
concept of the book is dream world and curiousness. In the beginning of the poem, Alice starts to dream
and this is seen where she goes straight into a rabbit-hole and she feels as though she is falling, “she
found herself falling down what seemed to be very deep well (Carroll, 3).” The dream creates a menacing
atmosphere which makes the story change from child’s story to adventure. Another theme is growing up.
The story creates an understanding of the difference between childhood and adult hood. When Alice
enters wonderland, she encounters a world of living that is different from what she knows. Alice is
uncomfortable with her size, and this shows the transition from childhood to adulthood. The transition
from being a child into adulthood create a sense of discomfort, frustration and sadness, emotions that are
felt by Alice. Curiosity is also a theme in these chapters. Alice is curious from the beginning when she
sees a white rabbit and decided to follow him. She is curious as to how a rabbit has a watch and wears a
waistcoat. Also, most of actions that she does are driven by curiosity. There is also a theme of
abandonment and loneliness. The initial feeling after falling down the rabbit hole is extreme loneliness.
She misses Dinah, “Dinah my dear! I wish you were down here with me! (Carroll, 6).” She has nothing to
do down there and creates a lonely feeling. Also, being alone in the rabbit hole creates feeling of being
misunderstood and a wonderer which is often associated with loneliness. Because she is trapped in
solitude, she finds herself confused and desperate.
 Surname 2

Work Cited
Carroll, L. (2015). Alice’s adventures in wonderland and through the looking-glass. Broadview Press.