Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland Part A

Reading Notes
Down the Rabbit Hole
As a child my father used to read me Through the Looking Glass to calm me after nightmares so I have collected multiple versions of that version of Alice's story but I have yet to read this book fully. The first chapter reminded me of why I love Lewis Carroll's writing so much. The prose and almost flirty cadence he creates that the reader just falls into is impeccable. 

Down the Rabbit Hole (Part II)
This portion has one of my favorite scenes in Alice in Wonderland: Alice and the 'Drink Me' Bottle. It stands out, not just for its icon status but because of its incredible sense of detail. Like the detail of what the drink tasted of, most authors probably would have left it at "a sickeningly sweet taste," but Carroll gave an entire mixture of familiar foods that let you experience each one as he listed them. One thing I can really take away from Carroll is his attention to detail. 

Down the Rabbit Hole (Part III)
To end Alice's trip down the rabbit hole, this part had the most action within the three parts. Although Alice fell down in the previous parts in this one she grows twice her size and must figure a way out and into wonderland. This part also has the fastest pace, which was a lesson in the flow a story must keep up. As I have been having a difficult time with active verbs, I particularly searched them out in this portion and was greeted with a highly active voice throughout. The use of active verbs created the urgency that the portion needed to keep interest.


. . .

All reading notes are based off of excerpts from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

No comments:

Post a Comment