So, my "C" week has arrived. Lewis Carroll is up to bat. I think it is probably pretty evident why I chose to read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Tim Burton's demented, but probably incredibly accurate version, starring Johnny Depp, premieres March 5 in IMAX and 3D (here I come Navy Pier! :) )
When I was younger, I was always intrigued by Alice in Wonderland, the movie produced and animated by Disney. Visually and mentally it was intriguing. I think it serves as a kind of catnip for children. It is one of the few Disney movies I remember most everything about (the others being Hercules, The Emperor's New Groove, Mulan and Mary Poppins). So, since I am speaking of this, I have taken the liberty to post the links to the movie on my blog so you can watch it, too. If you are a Disney person, I AM NOT the person with this youtube account.
Alice 1
Alice 2
Alice 3
Alice 4
Alice 5
Alice 2
Alice 3
Alice 4
Alice 5
I have three favorite parts of the movie. The Unbirthday Song is so wacky (as is the whole movie). I love the repetitiveness of it. The little mouse, the rabbit and the Mad Hatter...what a combo. I also like the part when she is in the garden and flowers want to know "What is an Alice?" Then, there is the Queen of Hearts. What a biotch after my heart. OFF WITH HER HEAD!!! What a WONDERFUL witch.
So, now that we have Johnny Depp portraying the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen and Anne Hathaway as Alice, who knows what will happen. Add a little Burton and this will probably be one of the craziest of his movies yet. I will have to say, I am a fan of his style. One of my favorite movies by Burton is Sleepy Hollow along with The Nightmare Before Christmas and Sweeney Todd. So, hopefully Alice will live up to my expectations of Burton...and Depp, as well.
If you have not seen the previews to the movie, just click on the picture below.
I have always heard Lewis Carroll was a bit of a pedophile. To what extent, I was never really sure. I know he cared for the little girl in which the book is based. I was never quite sure if it was just people pointing dirty fingers at him or if he really was a twisted, dirty man. So, I now present to you a brief summary of my findings on Lewis Carroll.
Carroll, named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was born January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire, England . Dodgson went by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll as a writer. Carroll was widely appreciated by many for his writings beyond Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. His work Through the Looking-Glass gained much acclaim. After writing Alice, he was approached by Queen Victoria and asked to dedicate his next book to her. Carroll was mathematician, nonsense writer, ordained priest, photographer and inventor. His early life was spent preparing him for priesthood, but he never actually pursued the profession. Instead, he took up a post as an Anglican Deacon at Christ Church. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford.
Carroll favored photography, as it was a newly invented art medium at the time he began. He was extremely successful in his photographic endeavors and was able to set up a business. Over 3,000 photos were taken over his time as a photographer and many still exist. In 1880, he gave up photography.
The so-called inspiration, even though he never admitted to it, for writing Alice were the daughters of Dean Henry Liddell of Christ Church. His daughters were Lorina, Edith and of course Alice. Alice is thought to be the girl portrayed in the book.
Nothing is documented of Carroll being a pedophile. The reasons for this thinking are because he became so fond of children, especially little girls. He enjoyed being around children because he grew up stammering. Adults made him uncomfortable and he would stammer (thought to be a reason for not joining the priesthood), but he would never have a problem around children. So, he felt like he could get along fine being side-by-side children all day. Another reason for thinking he was a pedophile was because he took nude pictures of children. Some still survive today. Like I said, nothing is documented as him being inappropriate; Carroll was a well-respected man.
Carroll only traveled abroad once and that was to Russia. He died in Guildford January 14, 1898, only a few days shy of turning 66.
Hopefully this clears a little of the pre-conceived notions one might have about Lewis Carroll.
Today, I read through 33 pages of 112. I think I should be done in about a day, depending on the time I have to read tomorrow. Hopefully I can wipe it out. I am amidst the chapter The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill. So far, I am enjoying it. I probably looked ridiculous reading Alice at the gym this morning...but, it is a good calorie burner.
I find the book interesting. I feel as though I should be listening to Danny Elfman's Serenada Schizophrana while reading (if you have heard it, you will understand). From what I can tell so far, Disney did a nice job incorporating the book into the movie and keeping it true to the author's intent and purposes. The writing is pretty witty and is probably above kids. I know the book can be found in Barnes and Noble under Adult Fiction/Literature and Juvenile Classics. I just don't think they would quite understand the subtle nuances and witty phrases Carroll utilizes to help the book flow along. One of my favorite parts right now is after Alice has cried (as a giant...remember when she had to drink from the "Drink Me" bottle in the movie?) while she was a giant. She then shrank and was carried through a salty stream of her own tears. As she was in the stream, she met a talking mouse. The only time he would respond to her at first is when she spoke French to him (haha). Well, the mouse was wet and gave Alice a ride. When they got to dry land, there were other animals who were swept away, as well, who were trying to dry off (most of these animals were birds). The mouse says he will make everyone dry, so he begins to recount William the Conqueror's conquests of Mercia and Northumbria. I thought it was hilarious because the mouse kept talking and talking and talking. So, expect the same kind of laughs you saw in the Disney movie. Dinah is Alice's cat, the White Rabbit is how she got to Wonderland, How Doth the Crocodile is recited and the points she shrinks and grows over and over all appear.
I am having a great time reading this book. I am impressed with the books I have chosen so far, especially since they have all been by authors I have never read before. I left off as Alice drank from a bottle in the White Rabbit's house and grew to the size of the house. One thing I find funny is (all of the) parentheses Carroll uses. So many afterthoughts (I know I do it, too!). Great minds...
So, here is to a brand new day of reading tomorrow.
As far as Barnes today...there was a birthday of a beloved co-worker. She used to star on Another World which is pretty sweet! She is awesome. I got her a scarf from Gap. I had to reset the whole Picturebook wall to Caldecott, Newbery Medals and Black History Month Books. There was so much e-planner I thought I was going to pull my hair out...or maybe not e-planner, just the fact I had to friggin' rearrange the whole kid's section of endcaps.
When we left work, it was snowing. This has been the story of our life every single Monday night when we leave Barnes; it is snowing.
This is what my beach has been looking like lately:
Only in Chicago can you have an Arctic Wonderland right outside of your apartment. :)
Okie doke. I will talk to you tomorrow! :)
If you have not seen the previews to the movie, just click on the picture below.
I have always heard Lewis Carroll was a bit of a pedophile. To what extent, I was never really sure. I know he cared for the little girl in which the book is based. I was never quite sure if it was just people pointing dirty fingers at him or if he really was a twisted, dirty man. So, I now present to you a brief summary of my findings on Lewis Carroll.
Carroll, named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was born January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire, England . Dodgson went by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll as a writer. Carroll was widely appreciated by many for his writings beyond Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. His work Through the Looking-Glass gained much acclaim. After writing Alice, he was approached by Queen Victoria and asked to dedicate his next book to her. Carroll was mathematician, nonsense writer, ordained priest, photographer and inventor. His early life was spent preparing him for priesthood, but he never actually pursued the profession. Instead, he took up a post as an Anglican Deacon at Christ Church. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford.
Carroll favored photography, as it was a newly invented art medium at the time he began. He was extremely successful in his photographic endeavors and was able to set up a business. Over 3,000 photos were taken over his time as a photographer and many still exist. In 1880, he gave up photography.
The so-called inspiration, even though he never admitted to it, for writing Alice were the daughters of Dean Henry Liddell of Christ Church. His daughters were Lorina, Edith and of course Alice. Alice is thought to be the girl portrayed in the book.
Nothing is documented of Carroll being a pedophile. The reasons for this thinking are because he became so fond of children, especially little girls. He enjoyed being around children because he grew up stammering. Adults made him uncomfortable and he would stammer (thought to be a reason for not joining the priesthood), but he would never have a problem around children. So, he felt like he could get along fine being side-by-side children all day. Another reason for thinking he was a pedophile was because he took nude pictures of children. Some still survive today. Like I said, nothing is documented as him being inappropriate; Carroll was a well-respected man.
Alice Liddell:
The moment Carroll decided to write Alice seemed to have come about during a rowing expedition with the Liddell children.
Carroll only traveled abroad once and that was to Russia. He died in Guildford January 14, 1898, only a few days shy of turning 66.
Hopefully this clears a little of the pre-conceived notions one might have about Lewis Carroll.
Today, I read through 33 pages of 112. I think I should be done in about a day, depending on the time I have to read tomorrow. Hopefully I can wipe it out. I am amidst the chapter The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill. So far, I am enjoying it. I probably looked ridiculous reading Alice at the gym this morning...but, it is a good calorie burner.
I find the book interesting. I feel as though I should be listening to Danny Elfman's Serenada Schizophrana while reading (if you have heard it, you will understand). From what I can tell so far, Disney did a nice job incorporating the book into the movie and keeping it true to the author's intent and purposes. The writing is pretty witty and is probably above kids. I know the book can be found in Barnes and Noble under Adult Fiction/Literature and Juvenile Classics. I just don't think they would quite understand the subtle nuances and witty phrases Carroll utilizes to help the book flow along. One of my favorite parts right now is after Alice has cried (as a giant...remember when she had to drink from the "Drink Me" bottle in the movie?) while she was a giant. She then shrank and was carried through a salty stream of her own tears. As she was in the stream, she met a talking mouse. The only time he would respond to her at first is when she spoke French to him (haha). Well, the mouse was wet and gave Alice a ride. When they got to dry land, there were other animals who were swept away, as well, who were trying to dry off (most of these animals were birds). The mouse says he will make everyone dry, so he begins to recount William the Conqueror's conquests of Mercia and Northumbria. I thought it was hilarious because the mouse kept talking and talking and talking. So, expect the same kind of laughs you saw in the Disney movie. Dinah is Alice's cat, the White Rabbit is how she got to Wonderland, How Doth the Crocodile is recited and the points she shrinks and grows over and over all appear.
I am having a great time reading this book. I am impressed with the books I have chosen so far, especially since they have all been by authors I have never read before. I left off as Alice drank from a bottle in the White Rabbit's house and grew to the size of the house. One thing I find funny is (all of the) parentheses Carroll uses. So many afterthoughts (I know I do it, too!). Great minds...
So, here is to a brand new day of reading tomorrow.
As far as Barnes today...there was a birthday of a beloved co-worker. She used to star on Another World which is pretty sweet! She is awesome. I got her a scarf from Gap. I had to reset the whole Picturebook wall to Caldecott, Newbery Medals and Black History Month Books. There was so much e-planner I thought I was going to pull my hair out...or maybe not e-planner, just the fact I had to friggin' rearrange the whole kid's section of endcaps.
When we left work, it was snowing. This has been the story of our life every single Monday night when we leave Barnes; it is snowing.
This is what my beach has been looking like lately:
Only in Chicago can you have an Arctic Wonderland right outside of your apartment. :)
Okie doke. I will talk to you tomorrow! :)
Aww...note: Anne Hathaway is not playing Alice! She's playing The White Queen!
ReplyDeleteAs if the regular e-planner wasn't enough, they have to go in and have us do a pict bk wall reset, too!?!?!! Nuts, I say. On the plus side, my pict bk wall is apparently slightly longer than some, so I was able to fit the entire title list for the Caldecott and Newbery plus a couple! Don't you love MTLs that contain more titles than the picture planogram?
ReplyDeleteI *had* to add Robin McKinley's /The Hero and the Crown/ to the Newbery part - it's my absolute favorite Newbery title. However, I actually prefer the other book she wrote that's set in the same world (/The Blue Sword/).