Alice in Wonderland is a story surrounding a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole chasing a rabbit with a pocket watch, and ends up discovering a world made up of her wildest imagination. She meets irrational, mad characters who encounter her throughout the adventure to find the white rabbit, and she goes through multiple experiences that test her patience and sanity.  However, what about this story makes it so enjoyable to such a wide variety of people? Here are some reasons why this well-known storyline has attracted diverse and vast audiences for decades.Â
Different Versions
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           This familiar storyline has come to life in many forms, varying depictions include books and movies, with each adaptation changing the plot slightly = to peak the audience’s interest. For book-lovers, there are different variations of plot lines varying from a serious tale of a girl discovering herself to a silly interpretation of a girl wandering through a mad land. For movie-goers, there is the Disney rendition created in 1951 that gave a more kid-friendly storyline that portrayed the different experiences in colorful, intriguing animation. For those who prefer more modern movies, there is the newer Tim Burton-directed version that was created in 2010, which mixes animation with live action characters. This takes on a whole new plot from the Disney edition, where Alice has returned to Wonderland and has to free its occupants from the Red Queen’s tyrannous reign. This change in styles of productions allows a larger audience to appreciate its content based on the viewer’s preferences.
The Hidden Deeper Meaning
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           While this is a rather simplistic storyline, when the plot is analyzed it is proven to have a deeper meaning. Alice travels through her own made-up, crazy world, and when she starts off her journey she’s running away from the responsibilities of the real world. Her mother wanted her to act like a proper lady and Alice did not have any interest in her obligations. However, by the end of her journey she becomes frustrated by the lack of logic in Wonderland. She rejects the madness and returns to her sane world. This is a sign of growth from childhood to adulthood, putting daydreams behind and focusing towards the more evident world.
Attractive Madness
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           We live in a rather sane world, so the insanity of Wonderland attracts the audience, sparking their curiosity (just like Alice). The Mad Hatter and the March Hare have a constant tea-party celebrating “un-birthdays” and asking questions like “why is a raven like a writing desk?”. They go off on multiple tangents that have no end nor meaning, but it’s nonetheless entertaining to watch their mad dynamics. Also there is a Cheshire cat that gives no direct directions, giving constant options with no insight into which one Alice should choose. When the roses were shown to be white instead of red the characters “painted the roses red”. All these different storylines couldn’t have been thought up by any sane person, but that’s what the audience loves.
We Were All Thinking It
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           Lastly, I can’t leave out the obvious references to drugs that attracts a distinctive audience these types of movies would not usually attract. The groups of people interested in the effects of drugs have added to the popularity of Alice in Wonderland. This film has now made a large impact on pop culture and there are posters and fan pictures dedicated to these drug references. People attending events that often include the consumption of drugs will sometimes dress up like the characters in the movie: these events include but aren’t limited to music festivals, theme parties, and raves. There is even a DJ named Alison Wonderland that performs at festivals! Some of the drug indications made in Alice in Wonderland are more obvious than others. There are multiple occasions of the characters smoking something, whether it’s the blue caterpillar smoking a hookah portraying his words in the smoke, the walrus smoking a cigar, or the dodo bird smoking a pipe. During the tea party with the mad hatter Alice gets “sugar” on her face and nose, but this could easily be mistaken as cocaine in this situation. The whole movie resembles an “acid trip”, especially when watching the trippiest scene of Alice falling down the rabbit hole, having no understanding of which way is up or how time functions or really any sense of logic. Alice drinks substances that are unmarked and eats mushrooms, each having a new effect on her. These could all be coincidental, however with the senseless outrageous plot line added in these “coincidences” occur too frequently and are too relatable to be brushed off as an accidental occurrence.
I suspect that most people are intrigued with one if not all of these aspects of Alice in Wonderland. Whether this article has taught you a new facet of this household story or brought back reminiscing thoughts on the plot, I hope you will continue to enjoy this thrilling exceptional story for all you think it represents!
HCXO!