Complete Alice in Wonderland - L. Carroll [41]
Falling Off the Top of the House: One of our first hints that the Alice books are subversive, and not at all like most Victorian fairy-tales, is that Carroll is referentially grim throughout the story. He quite often takes the time to point out moments of darkness, such as this one. Here he makes it clear that Alice wouldn’t say anything after falling off the top of the house, because she would probably break her neck and die in the fall!
The Antipathies: Alice is quite close here, actually! What she really means is the Antipodes, which is a term that refers (from the English perspective) to Australia and New Zealand. The joke may have been amusing to Victorian readers because “antipathy” means “absolutely without sympathy,” and Australia was largely colonized by English criminals!
The Lamps in the Hall: Considering the age of Alice’s adventures (the 1860s), these lamps would very likely be gaslight, which would explain why Alice felt so hot beneath their glow. Indeed, it is possible that the poisonous fumes played a part in her discombobulation!
The Secret Doors in the Hall: We are never told but are left to wonder: where might the other doors in the hall go to? Given that one of the doors leads into the royal garden, and another comes out inside a tree in the middle of the forest, they could lead anywhere. Possibilities include the homes of various characters (such as the Dodo, the Mouse, and very likely the White Rabbit), or other trees, or places in nearby Looking-Glass Land, or even the corridors of the Palace of Hearts itself. Some might even open onto the Underwater School, which would explain the presence of the Crabs at the Pool of Tears. We shall never know, but it is an interesting puzzle to contemplate!
The Unseen Table: Carroll does not quite tell us why Alice failed to find the three-legged table during her first circuit around the hall. It may be that the table appeared by magic, or that its transparency caused her not to notice it the first time. Most likely, however, is that Alice is dreaming and her yearning for a way out causes a (dubious) means of exit to appear.
The Loveliest Garden: From the nature of the Queen’s croquet-ground, we know that the royal garden is actually a dream-image of the Deanery and Cathedral Gardens, located outside Alice’s own home back in Oxford.
“How I Wish I Could Shut Up Like a Telescope”: Although it is subtle, the appearance of the “DRINK ME” bottle upon the table is actually caused by Alice wishing here out loud.
A Bottle Marked “Poison”: Some of these grim thoughts of children meeting terrible ends come from Struwwelpeter, a book featuring the deaths and punishment of naughty children. Alice might also be remembering the unexpurgated edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen, commonly known today as Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
“Going Out Like a Candle”: Alice’s thoughts here are dark indeed. She is contemplating the idea of not just death, but non-existence and absolute annihilation. Carroll, however, pointedly left his religious beliefs out of the Alice works (with the exceptions of prefaces and inserted pamphlets). This concept of nothingness will become key later on, as an older and darker Alice explores Looking-Glass Land.
Pretending to Be Two People: This spirit of duality is present throughout the “Alice” stories. Alice talks to herself, argues with herself, considers her feet as separate entities, and treats herself