Did You Know? Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Yesterday, we got to spend some time with the delightful, but slightly perplexing Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Today on Did You Know?, we've got some interesting facts about the book and it's writer, Lewis Carroll.

Did You Know?

• That it is widely believed that Alice is based on Alice Liddell, a child friend of Lewis Carroll?
• The book is filled with in-jokes that only Alice Liddell and her family and friends would understand?
• Many of the characters are based on people that Carroll and the Liddells knew?
• The story takes place on May 4th, Alice Liddell's birthday?
• It is believed that there are many references to mathematical concepts throughout the book? Carroll was a mathematician, so this could be true. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is probably one of the most analyzed books of all time.
• Louis Carroll's real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson?
• Dodgson never publicly acknowledged that he was Louis Carroll? He did acknowledge it among his friends.
• He had numerous health issues throughout his life? Dodgson had a fever that left him deaf in one ear, suffered whooping cough, had a weak chest, and stammered.
• In addition to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Dodgson also wrote numerous mathematical texts?
• Dodgson first told the story to Alice Liddell on a rowing trip on July 4, 1862? Alice begged him to wrote it down, and he finally did, giving her a handwritten and illustrated manuscript in 1864, entitled Alice's Adventures Under Ground.

Here's one of my favorite parts of Disney's interpretation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Monday Interview Series: Alice (as in Wonderland)

Happy Monday, everybody! This week, I'm really pleased to be talking with the legendary Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She is the heroine of one of the first modern "fantasy" novels. Actually, her journey is a little like Eric's in my book, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel. She finds a way into a different world by following a white rabbit, while Eric follows a white owl. Hmmm, you know, I never realized that until now! Of course, Alice's adventure was, in my opinion, much stranger than Eric's.

Anyway, let's get the show on the road. Here's Alice.

Greg:  Welcome, Alice! Alice, that's a lovely name, but, uh, I don't know your full name, what exactly is it?

Alice:  Some people say that my full name is Alice Liddell, a young friend of Mr. Carroll's. Personally, I prefer to be called Alice. Just Alice. As for my last name...I'm not telling!

Greg:  Oh, well, okay, Alice it is, then. How old are you, Alice?

Alice:  I'm seven annd a half, if you please, but many people are surprised by that. They always think I'm older, although I can't understand why.

Greg:  Yes, well,  if I may say so, you seem very grown up for one so young. As I mentioned in the introduction, your first adventure began when you chased a little white rabbit down a hole. What about the rabbit attracted your attention, and why did you chase him down a hole?

Alice:  First of all, I would like to make it perfectly plain that I was in no way looking to cause anyone any problems. in spite of what the Queen of Hearts might say. My growth spurt had nothing to do with the stolen tarts. It was also not my intention to knock over the jury box. Besides, not allowing people to grow a mile tall is such a silly law. I'll admit that it is out of the ordinary, but certainly nothing to lose one's head over.

Greg:  I heartily agree with that, my dear, but you didn't really answer the question.

Alice:  Question? What question?

Greg:  What made you chase the rabbit down the hole?

Alice:  Rabbit? Oh, yes of course, the rabbit. As I recall, it was a dreadfully boring summer day. There was nothing to do except laze by the river. When the White Rabbit ran past, it was impossible not to notice him. For one thing, I was bored, for another, who wouldn't notice a rabbit dressed  in a smart suit of clothes, looking at his pocketwatch? It's just not the sort of thing one sees every day, or at least it wasn't then. so of course I had to follow him.

Greg:  When you put it that way, how could you not? Following the rabbit got you started on what would be a long, strange trip, so to speak. What stands out as the strangest encounter on your journey?