Follow the white rabbit

On the occasion of a trip by boat on the Thames in July 1862, little Alice Liddell asked his friend Professor Charles Dodgson to tell her a story. Under the watchful eyes of Alice and her two sisters, Pastor runs and invented this beautiful day in summer one of the most famous stories ever. It was not until three years later that the story was published. Charles Dodgson to be known as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Since this time, no need to say that the story was a phenomenal success that did shine on multiple media, including the latest cinema was with Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton (which is of Besides more a sequel to the original story than a true adaptation). Nearly one hundred forty years later, Levy Calmann-editions by their Interstices collection have decided to honor the masterpiece of Lewis Carroll (pen name of Charles Dodgson) by reissuing it with its sequel, The crossing of the mirror and what Alice found there on the other side (also called Through the Looking-Glass). To complete its work, the publisher has the two head to tail stories and just the player to go on the back cover to be left with after Alice in Wonderland hands. In addition, the book is accompanied by exquisite designs Mervyn Peake to illustrate the vicissitudes of this confusing journey. On arrival, the book-object proves a small wonder. As befits such a topic ...

But back to the story itself. Alice is bored at the water's edge while her sister plunges body and soul into a book ... without pictures. By chance, the girl escapes from his lethargy when a rabbit passes close with a watch in his hand and repeating "My God, my God, I will arrive too late." Determined to find out what event this rodent alluded, Alice follows him even into his burrow. It was after a sharp drop in it that it landed in a strange world where animals talk, where queens beheaded and where hatters take tea in hares company. A real crazy world. It is understandable that the first pages the text is aimed at a young audience and the story thus appears as accessible and simplistic. Yet the story of Lewis Carroll not only conceals treasures of imagination but also an undeniable intelligence. Dives into the rabbit hole.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland can of course (and should?) Be approached from the angle of the children's story. In this way, all the vicissitudes of the girl stand on their own to form an intriguing story and resulting where the reader discovers fascinating characters such as the hatter or false turtle. Taken at face value, the offset occurs between the rational and Alice sweet-crazy fun of this new world. As master of nonsense and worthy heir of English humor, Lewis Caroll string of unlikely encounters and absurd discussions. If this helps to amuse young and old, do not forget that the author sees further. Not content to entertain, he invented a world without logic to register against the tide of rationalism. During his adventure, Alice discovers a universe that breaks conventions, violates the laws and ignores common sense. The English writer shapes a country contrary to the Victorian era. It is here that the novel takes on another dimension.

We realize that Caroll diverts the meaning of words and plays with their double meaning. Better, he sometimes changes their meaning before eventually parody poems and songs in their entirety. When Alice tries to start a piece she knows the words escape him and do in their own way. The language loses its meaning. More than the transgression of the lexical rules, the author tackles the time and space that expands or contracts without explanation. So our heroine grows and shrinks depending on the food she ingests. The size varies but time also. The very famous scene where the Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse take tea sets an example. On this occasion, he is taught that one can sympathize with the time and distend. This is why the merry fellows take tea from a date that they are unable to remember. Trapped in the most British custom that is, Alice gets scared and eventually abdicate. Lewis Caroll Note that addresses this way to social conventions of his time in ridiculing. The game of croquet proves another telling example. More than sport itself is royalty who is ridiculed through the irascible Red Queen and his equally foolish husband, the king. Their grotesque and stupidity is not without reference to the English royal family. As judicial parody of the end of the book that gives pride of place to the absurd, referring to the trial of our world. In fact, under the guise of an innocent children's story, Lewis Caroll reverses all conventions and fashions a world reflecting illogical ours.

But the centerpiece of the story is certainly the report to madness. Alice is a child of good family quite rational that plunges into a whirlwind of nonsense where only fools understand. Therefore, discerning normality becomes difficult thing, especially as poor Alice quickly merges with its environment until no longer recognize itself. The meaning appears twice in this story. On one hand, in a country of fools, only the normal becomes abnormal, and only the majority decides what logic. On the other hand, be of sound mind can not remain long himself in the company of foolish people. Insanity seems contagious ... unless we're all crazy already in the beginning, like a feline some claimed to Alice. In such a place, babies become pigs, cats wear a broad smile and rabbits are late. How not to lose the north face of such a table? Besides, is it reasonable to keep reason?

Let's finish by emphasizing the quality of the book collection of the Interstices whose superb drawings of Mervyn Peake greatly enrich the content. There really are no more excuses not to read such a classic that the modern imagination has often fed. Although Tim Burton strays too with his latest film, other initiatives will challenge the reader as tribute Jerome Noirez World Lessons in fluctuating or version for less frightening tale that is found in the Almanac of the new traveler in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore. The curious can even check out the fascinating adaptation of Jan Švankmajer from 1988.

Surprising trip in a wonderful country, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland promise an enjoyable and entertaining read. But beyond the work of Lewis Carroll demonstrated a surprising sense of protest and a formidable intellect that must absolutely be missed. We advise reading this little masterpiece to all, whether small or large.