I found a poem written by Lewis Carroll and I find it is really interesting. This poem illustrates the fact that in first, Lewis Carroll told the story of Alice in Wonderland to Alice Pleasance Liddell, the daughter of Henry George Liddell and the fact that he liked telling tales to children.
Acrostic poem :
A boat beneath a sunny sky,
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July–
Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear–
Long has paled that sunny sky:
Echoes fade and memories die.
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream–
Lingering in the golden gleam–
Life, what is it but a dream?
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173163
Moreover, I find the latest verse of this poem really interesting because I think that it can show the parallel between life and dream, which we can perceived in Alice in Wonderland. In the Tim Burton’s version, it’s really emphasized. We don’t know if Alice is dreaming or not. It’s strange but she doesn’t seem to be tired before going to Wonderland. The story is impossible but it seems to be true. Moreover, we still can see the caterpillar after Alice returns to reality.
Tim Burton’s version is very interesting for this detail… I’m agree with you, it’s really emphasized and we don’t know where is the reality, what elements are realistic, and all the beauty of this adaptation is here.
I find that it’s a good idea to present us this poem written by Lewis Carroll. It’s so interesting.
I like very much the dreamlike part of this poem. There are a lot of interpretations of Alice, for example the fact that she needs to grow up and stop to dream because she’s not adapted to the world of these dreams but still, I think that the author thought that dreams were very important in our childhood, this is the difference between children ans adults : the first give importance to dreams before becoming grown up and keep at least, an idealistic point of view.
I find that it’s a very good idea of Morgane to see us this poem. The comment by Alyson is interesting. I read somewhere that Lewiss Caroll was a founder of the child’s literature with the goal to educate children. It follow this fact. And in Alice in Wonderland, you see a chess game and I find it paradoxical with the fact that it’s for children: they can’t play at this hard game for grown-ups. But I think it’s symbolizes the life: you will have many battles like many obstacles in life to overcome. At the end, you win or die, so I think suceed or failed in your life. It’s a lesson for children.