Alice is the heroine of one of the most influential books in the fantasy genre, published in 1865 by Lewis Carroll. Having fallen down the rabbit hole and into a world inhabited by bizarre and loveable creatures, Alice faces a challenge she alone can fulfill – ending the reign of the terrifying Red Queen.
A child of the Victorian era, Alice is portrayed as a very logical young girl, somewhat mature for her age in terms of intellect and demeanor, and above all, curious. Some believe that the gentle Alice is actually based on Alice Liddell, the childhood friend of the author. But Carroll maintained that his own Alice was entirely fictional
In Carroll’s article “Alice on the Stage”, he gave his own account of Alice:
“What wert thou, dream-Alice in thy foster-father's eyes? How shall he picture thee? Loving first, loving and gentle: loving as a dog (forgive the prosaic simile, but I know no earthly love so pure and perfect) and gentle as a fawn: then courteous—courteous to all, high or low, grand or grotesque, King or Caterpillar, even as though she were herself a King's daughter, and her clothing wrought of gold: then trustful, ready to accept the wildest impossibilities with all that utter trust that only dreamers know; and lastly, curious—wildly curious, and with the eager enjoyment of Life that comes only in the happy hours of childhood, when all is new and fair, and when Sin and Sorrow are but names — empty words signifying nothing!”
Morton N. Cohen, a scholar and author who wrote Carroll’s biography, believes that “Wonderland” is actually a “double-layered metaphor” for the societal issues that children faced in the Victorian era, just as Carroll had. Cohen also says that although Carroll may have based Alice’s physical attributes after his friend, he based her personality on himself.
Alice’s story has been adapted in a number of genres. She was first famously brought to the screen in the 1951 Disney film in which she was voiced by Kathryn Beaumont. She is considered an “unofficial” Disney princess and has been included in a number of related Disney videos.
Alice is also a popular character in the video game series Kingdom Hearts. Most recently, her story was told again in the Oscar-winning film by Tim Burton. In this version, actress Mia Wasikowska plays a 19-year-old Alice alongside Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen.
Alice inspires readers – children and adults alike – for her great determination to follow a destiny carved out for her, though she faces many dangers, in an other-worldly universe.
To see the official contest rules and vote for Alice as your favourite heroine, click here.
