Wonderland: Disney’s versus Carroll’s

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Leah Brasher

English Composition 2

C. Hutcheson

December 4, 2012

Wonderland: Disneys versus Carrolls

Perhaps the most well-known work of childrens literature to date is Lewis CarrollsAlices

Adventures in Wonderland. According to The History of Alice in Wonderland by Bruce Edwin, the story

wasfirst written down in 1865, many years after it first began to take shape on a boating trip Carroll

took with three young girls, one of them bearing the name Alice (1). This beloved tale has been

reproduced many times through plays and several movies, with most of these movies combining scenes

and characters from the sequel toAlices Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, with

the original plot of the first story. This holds true for Walt Disneys 1951 animated production ofAlice in

Wonderland. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for movies to borrow material from the third story in the

series, What Alice Found There. Moreover, scenes and characters from the original story are often

omitted for the sake of saving time in each new work, also demonstrated in Walt Disneys version of the

story.However, the contrasts between Lewis Carrolls esteemed novel and the Disney adaptation of it

dont simply stop at the difference in the chronological order of events and the movies borrowingof

characters and scenes from the other two books in the series. Further differences between the two

works include the effects of the preceding time period on each work, the influence of both Carrolls and

Disneys lives on their works, and the influence each work had on the rest of the world.

Both the time period preceding the writing of the book and the period before the making of the

1951 animated film have significant impacts on each periods subsequent Alice work. In fact,

according toAlice in Wonderlandenthusiast Lenny de Rooy, although Walt Disney first began

entertaining ideas for a feature lengthAlice in Wonderlandfilm in 1920, he delayed serious production


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of the film until the Second World War ended in 1947 (About Disney's Alice in Wonderland movie).

Another example of the influence of events prior to the films production is seen inAlice in

Wonderlands grandeur. DeRooy also shares that profits from Disneys 1950 production ofCinderella

provided the finances needed to lift the voice talent, musical score, and artwork ofAlice in Wonderland

to a whole new level.

On the other hand, when addressing the effects of the time period precedingAlices Adventures

in Wonderland, one does not tend to focus on the artwork shown in the novel. Instead, the most

frequently asked question about Carrolls work bubbles up: does this book contain references to drug

abuse? It has been said over the years that this masterpiece exhibits scenes that supposedly depict

cocaine, LSD, and marijuana use. But is that the intent of the original text, or is it simply harmless

coincidences meaning nothing more than what they appear to be on the surface? When examining the

time period before the writing of the book, the researcher can see that cocaine had only been around

for a very short period oftime prior to the books making, thus making it very unlikely that Carroll is

representing it in his story. Furthermore, LSD had not yet even been invented. However, marijuana was

very much around at the time, and Lenny de Rooy shares, There is indeed one part in the book that

may describe the use of drugs: the hookah smoking Caterpillar...But with the story Carroll made fun of

all aspects of society, and it may be possible that he was just reflecting the age with this part

(Frequently Asked Questions). In addition, Carrolls very role in society fuels the argument that he was

not on drugs when writing this novel, nor is it very likely that he purposefully represents them in it: he

was a reverend! This fact, along with the fact that these drugs that allegedly seep into the cracks of

Carrolls work were not in widespread use during the 1860s, leads the reader to hypothesize thatAlices

Adventures in Wonderlandis simply a story of harmless fantasy and wonder, and drugs had little to no

influence over it.


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Upon further investigation, it can be seen that not only do the outside influences of the time

periods affect both the bookAlices Adventures in Wonderlandand the movieAlice in Wonderland, but

that aspects ofDisneys and Carrolls own lives effect each individual work as well. For example, Lenny

de Rooy alleges that Carrolls sleeping difficulties and background as a mathematics lecturer lay the

foundation for many aspects ofAlices Adventures in Wonderland(The Influence of Lewis Carroll's Life

on His Work), such as the dormouses inability to stay awake at the tea party and the presence of

activities of logic, such as card games. In addition, Carrolls childhood on a farm may have deeply

influenced his novel, as many creatures Alice encounters in Wonderland can be observed on most

farms: rabbits, caterpillars, mice, flower gardens, and so on (Ferguson).

In contrast to the influence of Carrolls life on his novel, when taking a look at the influence of

Walt Disneys life on his Wonderland work, it could be said the origins are not as lighthearted as the

origins of Carrolls. Walt Disneys life, especially at the time ofAlice in Wonderlands production, was

very much influenced by the wars that took place in the mid-1900s. It has been said by Jose vila that

scenes Disney uses to tell Alices story are gesturing at occurrences and ideals of World War II and the

Cold War, and although Carroll uses those same scenes in the book, it is possible that perhaps Disney

does slide jabs at World War II and Cold War happenings in the movie, considering that the first of these

wars ended not long before production ofAlice in Wonderland, and the latter took place during its

production! Alice, represented as a young dreamer, could be said to mimic the also rather young United

States, who dreams of an ideal world as well. In addition, Alice tries very hard to be virtuous, as does the

United States. vila goes on to say, Alices sister is presented as a fully mature and serious woman. She

reads from a British history book and tries to get Alice to learn her lessons, insinuating that Alices sister

represents the older and less wide-eyed country of Great Britain. Furthermore, the white rabbit acts as a

portrayal of stress, inducedfrom a sense of extreme urgency. vila shares that the rabbits frantic

behavior is what grabs Alices attention in the first place, and gets her into more and more trouble as


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she follows him throughout Wonderland. During the time of the Cold War, the U.S. and Soviet Russia

strived to dominate each other in terms of technology and weaponry. This fight for more advanced

weaponry led to an ever-present fear rising in peoples hearts worldwide, who knew that it was very

possibly only a matter of time before atomic weapons were used. Both nations were pressed for time,

knowing that the other nation was continuously working on new projects. vila says that its important

to note that the rabbits watch always marks the same time (5:00) but the rabbit keeps saying hes late.

This has a connection with the fact thatboth potencies, being able to compete with each other, showed

no sign of ending the conflict anytime soon. Alice, her sister, and the white rabbit are only a few

examples of the films supposed allusions to the time period surrounding the movie, and although these

examples dont stray far from the characteristics Carroll originally supplies for them, it is still very likely

that Disney, more than old enough to pay attention to global issues despite his youth-like persona, did

slyly attempt to create an additional perception of these characters, perhaps for the sake of the adult

viewers.

While Disneys and Carrolls works were influenced by several factors in their own lives and in

the world around them, each work had significant impacts on the rest of the world. Ray Bradbury, in the

foreword to Remembering Walt, says,

*Walt Disney+ was more important than all the politicians weve ever had. They pretended

optimism. He was optimism. He has done more to change the world for the good than almost

any politician who ever lived. I'm talking about the influences of mind and imagination on

people. I'm talking about culture and individuals' imaginations, which change that culture.

This optimism surely shows in DisneysAlice in Wonderland. He put a tremendous amount of work into

the movie, and it has gone down in film history as probably the most well-known film version ofAlice in

Wonderland. Certainly Disneys film encourages individuals imaginations, bringing to life the already


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imaginative story, but enhancing it through the use of lively music and vibrant colors, more vibrant than

the reader would imagine on his or her own.

However, Disney may have never had such inspiration to bringing such a story to life through

cinematography if it wasnt for Carrolls story being so incredibly imaginative in the first place. Carrolls

story has so inspired the worldthat, along with several movie and play adaptations of it, an incalculable

number ofAlices Adventures in Wonderland-themed parties, banquets, and games have been created.

Alice in Wonderlandtoys and Halloween costumes are in great supply each year, with more being

manufactured all the time. This story may never die, and its very likely that there will always be an Alice

book on the shelf, forever ready for both its new and old readers alike to enjoy. And that enjoyment

comes even if one doesnt know all the differences of the effects of the time on each work, the influence

ofCarrolls and Disneys lives on their individual representations of Alices story, or the way each work

influenced the rest of the worldits all for fun, and the differences between the two simply add to the

fun and splendor that makes Alice in Wonderland so wonderful.


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Works Cited

Alice in Wonderland: Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Win. RKO Radio, 1951. Web. 5 Nov. 2012

.

Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass. Ed. Windemere. New

York: Bantam, 1981. Print.

De Rooy, Lenny. About Disney's Alice in Wonderland movie (1951).Lenny's Alice in Wonderland site.

N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. .

---. "Frequently Asked Questions.Lenny's Alice in Wonderland site. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.

.

---."The Influence of Lewis Carroll's Life on His Work." Lenny's Alice in Wonderland site. N.p., n.d. Web.

21 Nov. 2012. .

Ferguson, Philip."Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Study Guide." bartertheatre.com. N.p., n.d. Web.

21 Nov. 2012.

.

Edwin, Bruce. "The History of Alice in Wonderland." NewsBlaze.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.

.

Bradbury, Ray. "Walt Disney." scistation.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012.

vila, Jos. DisneysAlice in Wonderland: a Cold War parody? .french.chass.utoronto.com. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Nov. 2012. .
http://www.onlinemoviefree4u.com/2012/02/alice-in-wonderland-1951.htmlhttp://french.chass.utoronto.ca/as-sa/ASSA-No19/Article3en.htmlhttp://french.chass.utoronto.ca/as-sa/ASSA-No19/Article3en.htmlhttp://www.onlinemoviefree4u.com/2012/02/alice-in-wonderland-1951.html

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Wonderland: Disney’s versus Carroll’s