Alice In Wonderland Essay

"If one day, while sitting by a tree you saw a talking, coat wearing, pocket watch holding rabbit, how would you react?" Well, Alice reacted just as any child would, by chasing after it. By doing this, she entered Wonderland. Throughout the course of the novel Alice learns many things and there are many signs of maturity. Wonderland was a wake-up call for Alice. This dream she had taught her to love and enjoy life through childhood, but it also taught her how to grow up. Throughout the course of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice goes through many strange physical changes. At one point her neck shoots up sky high, then the next thing you know, her chin hits her feet. Never being the right size is symbolic of the changes that occur during puberty. She gets upset with her constant shifts in size, which is how most people feel about themselves when going through these changes.

In Chapter 7, Alice stands up for herself when rude remarks are made at the "Mad Tea Party." She defends herself when the March Hare, Hatter and Dormouse cry, "No room! No room!" She replies by telling them that there is room and that it isn't their table. She tells the Hatter he is rude when he makes a personal remark by saying that Alice needs a haircut.

At the end of Chapter 7, when Alice sees the door, she walks right through it and already knows what to do. She knows that she has to eat something to shrink in size and she opens the door with ease, unlike the first time when she had trouble trying to figure out what to do. She is even smart enough to keep a piece of the mushroom in her pocket. She knows that she will probably have to change her size later on. She thinks ahead, a sign of maturity.

The major turning point of this novel comes in Chapter 12 when the Queen shouted "Off with her head" to Alice. "Who cares for you? You're nothing but a pack of cards!" said Alice. Alice finally realizes reality. She isn't afraid anymore. Now that she has grown to her full size, she is so much taller than everyone else. Every time the Queen shouts "Off with their heads" nothing ever happens, so why should she be afraid? She stood up for herself and experienced what it is like to defend yourself, like a true adult would do.

Childhood is important in everyone's life. It teaches you to dream and be curious and wonder. Alice is going to remember her childhood, because from it, she learned to become an adult. Alice started out as a child but has blossomed into an adult throughout the course of this novel.