Colonialism is a hidden theme among many children’s books during the 1800’s; as a result of this readers are able to see the world and literature that shaped many human beings. As readers, we are able to see into the literary world but nonetheless and world that reflects the society the novel was written in. Literature can act as a form of propaganda for some writers, for example Lewis Carroll 's Alice 's Adventures in Wonderland. While this novel deals with colonialism we are able to see how Carroll is subtly making fun of it and shows us how colonist and colonialism were viewed from an individual that may not have agreed with it. Alice in Wonderland depicts Victorian colonial England and acted as a form of propaganda to mold children. The
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This novel was published at the height of colonialism in India and Africa, in the novel it is a similar situation in Wonderland. Even as a child Alice can be seen as a colonist when she arrives and invades Wonderland. When Alice arrives in Wonderland she can be considered a Victorian anthropologist and encounters a strange culture filled with strange animals, creatures, and people. When she encounters this new culture she chooses not to follow it and does not try to understand it she becomes an intruder in Wonderland, which is very ignorant much like the colonist Joseph Childers, and Gary Hentzi describe. An example of Alice’s invasion in Wonderland was during the Mad- Tea Party when the March Hare jokingly offers Alice wine, she does not take it kindly she replies “Then it wasn’t very civil of you to offer it” (53) Alice was very angry at the March Hare’s offer he replies “It wasn’t very civil of you to sit down without being invited”(53) this is very good example of Alice’s unknowing invasion of Wonderland, she intrudes in one the tea party without asking just like she came to Wonderland without asking Alice later leaves after becoming increasingly annoyed about the party claiming “It’s the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!” (61). Alice also believes that Wonderland needs fixing just like British colonists believed that the indigenous people’s land needed help. Alice forces her British customs on the people of Wonderland without even thinking about whether or not they wanted her
This novel was published at the height of colonialism in India and Africa, in the novel it is a similar situation in Wonderland. Even as a child Alice can be seen as a colonist when she arrives and invades Wonderland. When Alice arrives in Wonderland she can be considered a Victorian anthropologist and encounters a strange culture filled with strange animals, creatures, and people. When she encounters this new culture she chooses not to follow it and does not try to understand it she becomes an intruder in Wonderland, which is very ignorant much like the colonist Joseph Childers, and Gary Hentzi describe. An example of Alice’s invasion in Wonderland was during the Mad- Tea Party when the March Hare jokingly offers Alice wine, she does not take it kindly she replies “Then it wasn’t very civil of you to offer it” (53) Alice was very angry at the March Hare’s offer he replies “It wasn’t very civil of you to sit down without being invited”(53) this is very good example of Alice’s unknowing invasion of Wonderland, she intrudes in one the tea party without asking just like she came to Wonderland without asking Alice later leaves after becoming increasingly annoyed about the party claiming “It’s the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!” (61). Alice also believes that Wonderland needs fixing just like British colonists believed that the indigenous people’s land needed help. Alice forces her British customs on the people of Wonderland without even thinking about whether or not they wanted her