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Through the Looking-glass
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- Lewis Carroll
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Through the Looking-Glass
"Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There" is a novel written by Lewis Carroll and serves as the sequel to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Published in 1871, this novel continues the adventures of Alice, a young girl who steps through a looking-glass into a mirrored world on the other side.
Summary
The story begins with Alice playing with her kittens in a drawing room and pondering what the world is like on the other side of a mirror's reflection. Venturing through the looking-glass, Alice enters a fantastical world where she finds that, like a reflection, everything is reversed. She discovers a book with looking-glass poetry, "Jabberwocky," which appears nonsensical until read in a mirror.
Alice encounters various characters, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Red Queen, and the White Queen. She learns that the world operates like a giant chessboard, and she is a pawn who must traverse the board to become a queen. The narrative follows Alice's journey across the chessboard, encountering peculiar characters and overcoming challenges.
Themes
The novel explores themes of fantasy versus reality, the journey of growing up, and the absurdity of the world. Carroll plays with logic and illogic, showing how the rules of the real world do not always apply in the world of fantasy.
Characters
- Alice: The protagonist, whose curiosity and adventurous spirit lead her through the looking-glass world.
- The Red Queen: A dominant figure who introduces Alice to the chessboard kingdom.
- The White Queen: Represents a more gentle and absurd aspect of royalty compared to the Red Queen.
- Tweedledee and Tweedledum: Twin brothers who recite poems and engage in comical arguments.
- Humpty Dumpty: A character who philosophizes about the meanings of words, emphasizing the theme of language and meaning.
Conclusion
The book concludes with Alice achieving her goal of becoming a queen. The celebration abruptly ends when Alice questions the Red Queen's identity, causing her to wake up in the real world, realizing it was all a dream. The novel closes with Alice pondering the nature of dreams and reality.
"Through the Looking-Glass" is celebrated for its imaginative storytelling, wordplay, and the philosophical depth beneath its surface whimsy. It remains a cornerstone of children's literature, inviting readers to ponder the complexities of growing up and the endless possibilities of imagination.