Discussion Questions for
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Please read about these questions here.

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Chapters 1-6
(Page numbers are for the Dover Thrift Edition)

Is this just a silly, funny story or do you think there is a deeper meaning hidden in all the nonsense? Explain your answer.

What do you think the white rabbit symbolizes in the story?

On page 14 Carroll wrote: "Speak English!" said the Eaglet. "I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do either." What do you think this might be referring to in our world?

Alice is often shrinking and growing. What do you think this might represent?

After the baby turns into a pig Alice says, "If it had grown up," she said to herself, "it would have made a dreadfully ugly child: but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think." (pg. 41) What do you think Carroll is saying here?

Chapters 7-12

On page 46 it says, "The Hatter's remark seemed to her to have no sort of meaning in it, and yet it was certainly English." This is similar to the remark made on page 14 (see above). What do you think it means?

On page 46 the Hatter says, "If you knew Time as well as I do you wouldn't talk about wasting it." Do you think Carroll is saying something about time in general? If so, what?

Alice has been shrinking and growing throughout the story. Has Alice changed in any significant ways as the story progresses? If so, explain.

The Queen wants to use beheading as a solution to everything. What might this represent? What might the Queen represent? (Chapter 8)

Carroll appears to be making fun of the Duchess (pg's. 59-61) who tries to find a moral in everything. Do you think Carroll might be making fun of anyone who might try to find a moral in his own story? Why or why not?

What do you think, if anything, Carroll is saying about education on pages 64-66 (Chap. 9)?

On page 69 (Chap. 10) we read:

"I could tell you my adventures—beginning from this morning," said Alice a little timidly; "but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

"Explain all that," said the Mock Turtle.

"No, no! The adventures first," said the Gryphon in an impatient tone: "explanations take such a dreadful time."

What do you think, "but it's no use going back to yesterday," means? What do you think Carroll is saying is the difference between "adventures" and "explanations"? Would you rather read a story or a textbook? Explain your answer.

Read the last paragraph of the book. What do you think Carroll is saying about childhood?

©2005-2008 Glen Draeger (all rights reserved)
Millstone Education: World Literature / http://www.millstoneeducation.com/worldLit