Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is one of the most beloved books in English. Written in 1865 for the author's young friends, the novel tells the story of a girl who follows a rabbit down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by strange creatures. Alice grows and shrinks as she eats and drinks her way through Wonderland and tries to follow the rules in this world of nonsense. Alice is ultimately unimpressed. Threatened by the Queen of Hearts, Alice says: “You’re nothing but a pack of cards!”, as indeed they are. This takes her back magically to the safe summer lawn where her dream journey began.

In the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, she plays the backwards game of chess so well, simply by taking each adventure that presents itself head on, that she manages to become a queen herself. And so Alice's story is one of 19th-century girl power. That’s where the spectacular new movie by Tim Burton comes in. Australian newcomer Mia Wasikowska plays Alice:

The books are full of puns and wordplay and allusions. Dip into the rich cultural heritage of these works with some of the most famous figures and quotes from the original Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Join us for a quick grammar check.

Anne Hodgson