The speakers will present many examples of his parodies, to demonstrate the influence of Isaac Watts and other writers of moral and improving texts on the young Charles Dodgson. They will show how he lampooned them, first in his juvenile writings (such as ‘Useful and Instructive Poetry’), and later in the pages of ‘Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking Glass’. Aas a result, his parodies have outlived their once distinguished, but now largely forgotten, originals.

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Professor Jan B Gordon explores (“with a plea for audience participation”) why Alice’s fears of her total disappearance are totally justified, given “childhood” and its dangers in 19th century literature. And, along with the flickering in and out of Alice, will be considered such puzzles as a Cheshire Cat that appears and disappears and food both that is both simultaneously there and not there at a tea table.

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