Friday 10 April 2009

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

I chose this book for the Classics Challenge because it's one I've never been able to make myself finish and indeed, had I not been doing it for a challenge, I might never have finished it. I don't even have much to say about it other than I don't understand the popular appeal. It's ridiculous, nonsensical and just strange. I suppose it was meant to be and thus it fulfilled its purpose, and I also suppose it's the reason for its popularity. It just really didn't do anything for me. I don't quite understand the appeal of reading something that makes no sense at all. Even the humour escapes me on this one. Through the Looking Glass was a bit better than Alice in Wonderland, but not much. At least there seemed to be a sort of purpose behind it all instead of just being like a dream that randomly switches from one scene to another without really trying link the stories together. However, neither is something I'll ever read again.

4 comments:

Mari said...

I have the book here and never made it to Through the Looking Glass. I actually don't remember much of it. Guess it didn't leave much of an impression on me either.

postJazz said...

I haven't read either thoroughly for a while, though they're on my 'to read' pile. I have a suspicion that being English helps in this instance. Something about breaking down that stiff upper lip from the first half of the C20th. I'll let you know when I get around to reading them!

Jeane said...

I read somewhere that the whole story is supposed to be a parody of important people in English society during Lewis' day- making fun of them.

But when I was a kid (and even now) all that is over my head. My dad read me these books and the nonsense enthralled me as a child- so I still enjoy going back to them now and then. I think I like Through the Looking Glass better than Wonderland.

Jenny said...

i've yet to read them, but remember doing the poem 'the jaberwocky' in primary school, it was the first poem that got through to me, up until then we'd been forced to read boring ones written for children and i'd hated it.