““If you don't know where you If you don't know where you are going, any road will take are going, any road will take you there” – one of the you there” – one of the famous Lewes Carroll’s famous Lewes Carroll’s quotes. He has been always quotes. He has been always interesting interesting to all readers and to all readers and researchers. Pseudonym of researchers. Pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson Charles Lutwidge Dodgson English logician, English logician, mathematician, mathematician, photographer, and novelist, photographer, and novelist, especially remembered for especially remembered for Alice's Adventures in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Through the Looking-Glass. There is no answer to the There is no answer to the mystery of Alice's success. mystery of Alice's success.

Many explanations have been Many explanations have been suggested, but, like the Mad suggested, but, like the Mad Hatter's riddle (“The riddle, as Hatter's riddle (“The riddle, as originally invented, had no originally invented, had no answer at all”), they are no more answer at all”), they are no more than afterthoughts. The book is than afterthoughts. The book is not an allegory; it has no hidden not an allegory; it has no hidden meaning or message, either meaning or message, either religious, political, or religious, political, or psychological, as some have psychological, as some have tried to prove; and its only tried to prove; and its only undertones are some touches of undertones are some touches of gentle satire—on education for gentle satire—on education for the children's special benefit and the children's special benefit and on familiar university types, on familiar university types, whom the Liddells may or may whom the Liddells may or may not have recognized.not have recognized.

Carroll's classic fantasy can be read on many levels Carroll's classic fantasy can be read on many levels and appreciated by diverse audiences:and appreciated by diverse audiences:

• it is at once a biting it is at once a biting social and political social and political satire sufficiently satire sufficiently complex to satisfy complex to satisfy the most the most sophisticated adult, sophisticated adult, and a delightfully and a delightfully whimsical fairytale to whimsical fairytale to capture the fancy of capture the fancy of the imaginative child.the imaginative child.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a work of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a work of children's literature which is generally acclaimed as children's literature which is generally acclaimed as Dodgson's masterpiece.Dodgson's masterpiece. It tells the story of a girl It tells the story of a girl

named Alice who falls named Alice who falls down a rabbit-hole into down a rabbit-hole into Wonderland, a fantasy Wonderland, a fantasy realm populated by realm populated by talking playing cards, talking playing cards, anthropomorphic anthropomorphic creatures, and other creatures, and other fantastical beings.fantastical beings.

The tale is fraught with satirical allusions to The tale is fraught with satirical allusions to Dodgson's friends and to life in the United Kingdom Dodgson's friends and to life in the United Kingdom during the mid nineteenth century in general.during the mid nineteenth century in general.

The Wonderland The Wonderland described in the described in the story is a place story is a place where logic and where logic and rules and reality are rules and reality are turned upside-down turned upside-down in ways that have in ways that have made the story made the story enduringly popular enduringly popular with adults, as well with adults, as well as children.as children.