Sense within Nonsense
Andre de la Reza
ewis Carroll was one of the most well known of the Nonsense Writers, a genre
that has been relegated to the level of mere entertainment by the populace for
way to long. Like most stereotypes it may have been true that Nonsense verse
has grains of absurdity, but it has many other levels to it than just that.
Lewis Carroll succeeded in conveying a variety of different themes couched within
the absurd images of his poems and prose. From the solemn advice to youths in
Alice in Wonderland, to the political commentary of Through the
Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll (pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) voiced
concerns and thoughts in his prose and poetry that would not be normally expected
from a mathmatician. Perhaps the reasons that Lewis Carroll wrote of such themes
was because of his religious education and upbringing, for he did find a carreer
as a Angelican Deacon. I think it more likly the psycholgical maturity and responsibility
he probably gained from being the eldest of eleven children. The reasons he
wrote upon these themes is not the focus of this essay, instead I mean to show
acceptable evidence that he did write of these themes.
The first theme that I ran across was that of social concern towards the youths and innocents of his day. If one acknowledges Kate Connell's idea that Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland as a commentary on the negative effects of drugs, such as opium, was having on societ; it would then follow that Alice in Wonderland was meant to give youths pause before entering a world that bewilered the senses. In Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll brings up many images that can be interpreted as advice to youngsters. One level to the Walrus and the Carpenter could be read to be a warning to the innocents of people that would mislead them and "eat them all up;" just like the Walrus and the Carpenter persuaded all the 'young Oysters to walk with them,' a walk that ended in a feast for the Walrus and the Carpenter. In The Baker's Tale from The Hunting of the Snark, Lewis Carroll seems to warn us that peer pressure of the "now" can force to forget our past and the importance of family. This is shown in the Baker being pressured by the Bellman to "skip your dear uncle"(line 23) and to skip the bit of "his father and mother" and dismiss "his uncle's dying words", the Bellman is only concerned with how to catch the Snark. Because of this pressure the Barker ends up disappearing into the night in the exact circumstances that his uncle had warned him about.
The second prominent theme in the text is Lewis Carroll's views and commentaries on the political corruption. Once again the Walrus and the Carpenter tale from Through the Looking-Glass can be interperted on a different level to be a commentary no only of people taking advantage of the innocent, but of political corruption and how the politicians grew fat at the expense of the people. The antagonists of the tale are the Walrus and the Carpenter, one a creature that fat and well fed, the friedly type that got the Oysters to trust them and come with them. The other is the Carpenter, an image often encouraged by politicians that are tring to convice the populace that they are rebuilding and improving society for them, when actually he ate more than the Walrus. (To see more specific examples, check out my close reading of the Walrus and the Carpenter.) Lewis Carroll seems to have avery dimm view of politicians, one that interestingly mirrors today's views, a little more than a century later.
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It is true that at on level Lewis Carroll's tales can be viewed as Nonsense Verse that is meant to entertain, but it would be an unforgivable mistake for any intelectual to leave it at that. It is our obligation as mature readers to, at the very minimum, acknowledge the presence of other, deeper levels presented by the author. Lewis Carroll wove a piece of literature that pleases at all levels, but has the potential to make us think and hence grow at the deeper levels.
The purpose of this page was to take Tweedledee's tale of the Walrus and the Carpenter, from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass and tie it in with the main themes I discussed in my analysis.
`The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright --
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
1 - 6
Lewis Carrol is comparing his tale to the illuminating property of the sun. It seems that he is implying that society is a dark place. And dark places traditionally are full of hidden dangers, waiting to take advantage of the passerby. This is a combination of the two themes, a promise that he will show he dangers and thus warn us of them, and a critisism of a society that exists in such a state.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done --
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"
7 - 12
The night symbolism continues, with the creatures of the night voicing protest to their actions being brought to light. Perhaps Carroll was subconciously voicing his fear of recriminations by the ruling bodies of the government.For if the moon wished it could make quite a dent on earth.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it WOULD be grand!"
19 - 24
Just like politicians to try and control nature, "Make way for progress!" How many times do we see today the ruling powers that have their capital invested in destroying forrest so as to make some monstrosity that will produce more money. This reflects the subcurrent theme that ran through The Jabberwocky, where Carroll told a tale of a good son that went out and killed the fated beast that terrorized man.
The eldest Oyster looked at him.
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head --
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
37 - 42
Here Carroll admits that not all are swooned by the sirens call of politician's "Better days and better things to come, if only you..." The old ones that have been around and seen others get trampled by the machine, get eaten by he powerful choose to stay at home, nd avoid the creatures of the night.
But four young oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat --
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
43 - 48
Unfortunately, not all can benifit of the expierience of those who have been around if they don't pay attention. Here Carroll show that the young and the innocent are the ones most susceptible to the call of the evils hat lurk in the dark. A bit of his nonsense genre creeps back in here, with the passage of the oyster's feet. On a deeper level this could be a reference to the human innocents that the oysters were meant to reflect.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing-wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings."
61 - 66
This is an example of a politicians sirens call to the people, once they have gathered their flock they keep them entranced with tales of the basic essentials. They start off making promises of things that appealto their listners.Or rather the things that the listners think they need, but in actality don't - oysters have no need for shoes, ships, and sealing wax. Eventually the politicians degenerate into babbeling over overt useless issues, such as as flying pigs. Carroll also makes the point that if you pay special attention to their speeches, one can find subcurrents of issues that are in fact threatening your very happiness - i.e. seas that boil would make an oyster's life hellish.
"I weep for you," the Walrus said.
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size.
Holding his pocket handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
97 - 102
In the end, after the corpses of the innocent litter the path of the Walruses and the Carpenters of our world, they will shed false tears of remorse and slowly wipe the remaining gristle from their lips. They will saunter off to their mansions and be happy of the riches they have garnered at the peoples expense. Lewis Carroll has told a tale of warning and critisism of the way society works. It is up to we, the readers, to see the subtelties of the text and to ponder them.
