Miscellaneous Alice > Alice university English module!

[We'reAllMadHere]

I'm so fudging excited about this university English module, the one where AAIW and TTLG are the primary texts! Firstly, I get to write a 1000 word essay on the books, choosing from a rage of questions:

1. Discuss the role and significance of the narratorial voice in AAIW and TTLG.
2. 'Take care of the sense and the sounds will take care of themselves.' Discuss the use of wordplay, rhymes, poems and songs in AAIW and TTLG
3. "'If there's no meaning in it,' said the King, 'that saves us a world of trouble, you know, as we needn't try to find any.'" Discuss AAIW and TTLG in light of this statement.
&c.
Number 2 seems quite appealing, as the wordplay in particular is one of the reasons I grew to love it so much.

A second assessment involves doing a 10 minute group presentation in a seminar, 'offering an argument in relation to an aspect, edition, adaptation, appropriation, translation or dramatisation of Carroll's AAIW and TTLG', whatever that's supposed to mean. But this might mean I could discuss Svankmajer's and Miller's adaptations!! I may just get top marks for this module! ;D

I just realised, though, that I've got to be a bit careful discussing this stuff online, in case it gets noticed and I'm accused of plagiarism, cheating, &c. I don't think Lenny will mind if I use the site as a reference though.

[Guest]

There's no reason to worry if you quote this site or any other passage somewhere else. You can also give your personal view without quoting.

[Beautiful Soup]

I'm well jell of your superb topic opportunity (topportunity?) but am going to use it as an excuse to explain my siggies over the last few months.

In The Annotated Alice, Martin Gardner refers to something GK Chesterton said, thus:

Writing in 1932, on the hundred-year anniversary of Lewis Carroll's birth, Gilbert K. Chesterton voiced his "dreadful fear" that Alice's story had already fallen under the heavy hands of the scholars and was becoming "cold and monumental like a classic tomb." "Poor, poor, little Alice!" bemoaned G.K. "She has not only been caught and made to do lessons; she has been forced to inflict lessons on others. Alice is now not only a schoolgirl but a schoolmistress. The holiday is over and Dodgson is again a don. There will be lots and lots of examination papers, with questions like: (1) What do you know of the following; mimsy, gimble, haddocks' eyes, treacle-wells, beautiful soup? (2) Record all the moves in the chess game in Through the Looking-Glass, and give diagram. (3) Outline the practical policy of the White Knight for dealing with the social problem of green whiskers. (4) Distinguish between Tweedledum and Tweedledee."

Your question choices remind me rather of his lament But it is this lament which has provided me with with sigs for the past eight months or so.

[The Queen of Hearts]

I wish I got to take your class!

[We'reAllMadHere]

Gosh, I haven't had much time at all to post anything, as you can all well imagine!

There is luck in this, I know it: I mean, of all the books that could've been chosen, why Alice? Is it because we're in Oxford, where the Great Man taught? I am certainly blessed, as I know more on that subject than many, I am certain of it! The only thing is that I have to endure an hour-long lecture in a week or so about Lewis Carroll and the books; I say 'endure' as if it's a slog, and it only is because I know all the stuff already, and would much rather learn new things. However, I certainly can't complain! The seminars is where I can really shine, 'showing off' my knowledge. >:)

[We'reAllMadHere]

In preparation for my 2000 word essay on Alice, I purchased a wonderful little book from the invaluable second-hand section of Blackwells: 'Aspects of Alice; Lewis Carroll's Dreamchild as seen through the Critics' Looking-Glass'. It's a collection of essays devoted to different areas of the books, including one called 'The Child as Swain' which I think inspired Jonathan Miller in his adaptation! There's a useful section on the poems and language of the books, which I'll be using for my essay, as I'm writing it about the use of wordplay, poems, songs and puns in the novels.

There is, however, a section on Freudian interpretations, which is rather a hoot as it's trying to convince you about things which aren't really there. The final essay of the book is called 'Lewis Carroll, the First Acidhead'.

[snakes&ladders]

There is, however, a section on Freudian interpretations, which is rather a hoot as it's trying to convince you about things which aren't really there. The final essay of the book is called 'Lewis Carroll, the First Acidhead'.

Personally, I have never appreciated Freud in any of his "analysis processes" on anything.....SF was not a visionary, but a silly old hypocrite:):)!!! Father of modern psychological analysis MY ASS :):):)!!
I like the final essay title....so TRUE:):):)

[We'reAllMadHere]

Whilst researching my essay in the university library, I came across a collection of poems, stories and drawings from 'The Rectory Umbrella and Mischmasch'. Absolutely fascinating. I love his little drawings, some of them full-page, that are definitely reminiscent of Edward Lear! I do hope I can weave in some contextual information about Carroll, seeing as he was interested in wordplay, poems, rhymes and songs from a very early age!

EDIT: Oh, I also took out a book by Francis Huxley called 'The Raven and the Writing Desk'. I can't make head or tail/tale of it at all, it appears to be written in rambling gibberish.