Analysis of Literary Devices in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (Essay Sample)

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Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Caroll's famous novel Alice in Wonderland features a seven-year-old girl who confronts an out-of-control universe. The story, which is set in 19th century Britain, brings out some critical observations about childhood at the time. More precisely, the 19th century was unlike previous generations where children had the exposure to hardships of adulthood. 19th century had a shift in attitudes towards children where they were considered innocent and dependents. Reynolds (n.p) confirms the prevailing conditions and assumptions about childhood during this time by stating "Following Rousseau, and in the hands of Romantic poets such as William Blake and William Wordsworth, childhood came to be seen as especially close to God and a force for good. In children’s literature, this idealized version of childhood became and remained enormously influential throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, though its Christian origins grew less pronounced." This worldview on childhood innocence is magnified by the author as we see the portrayal of childhood innocence in a fantasy world ‘Wonderland,’ that has animals dressed like human beings having tea parties with adults. This article's primary focus will be on some of the literary devices Caroll utilizes to highlight a childhood experience through Alice. However, the first part of the article will examine the story's setting. Ideally, the fascination with Alice's story is not in her character but the manner of presentation by the author.
SETTINGS
Historical setting. The story of Alice is set in the Victorian age. According to the author's self-confession, the writing occurred on a sunny day in July 1862. Romero (18) states that elements of the Victorian era come out through Alice's interaction with her sister. More precisely, Alice refuses to participate in lady-like activities that the Victorian age encouraged (Romero 18). At the start of the book, it is indicated that "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it," (Caroll 1). Evidence of the Victorian age is echoed by Aurebach (31), who says, "Alice herself . . . confronting a world out of control by looking for the rules and murmuring her lessons, stands as one image of the Victorian middle-class child." It is important to note that there is no clear revelation of the historical setting in the story. However, some elements and issues prove that Alice's story occurs in