Vanishing Act and the Famous Grin of the Cheshire Cat

Lewis Carroll popularized the fictional character known as the Cheshire Cat in his work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Recognized for its distinctive mischievous grin, the association of a "cheshire cat" with smiling existed prior to the 1865 publication of the book and has since extended beyond literary realms, embedding itself in popular culture across various media forms, including political cartoons, television, and interdisciplinary studies spanning business to science.

The hallmark of the Alice-style Cheshire Cat is its gradual disappearance, leaving only its iconic grin as the final visible trace. Originally belonging to the Duchess, the Cheshire Cat is now predominantly linked to the character from Lewis Carroll's novel.

In the narrative, Alice first encounters the Cheshire Cat in the Duchess's kitchen, and later on a tree's branches, where it mysteriously appears and disappears while engaging Alice in entertaining yet occasionally confounding conversations. 

The cat introduces philosophical points that both annoy and perplex Alice. However, it provides solace when it suddenly materializes on the Queen of Hearts' croquet field. During a peculiar trial where the cat is sentenced to death, it confounds everyone by making its head visible without its body, sparking a debate on whether a disembodied head can truly be beheaded. 

Notably, the cat's disappearance culminates in only its grin remaining, prompting Alice to reflect that she has witnessed a cat without a grin but never a grin without a cat.

In this scene Alice is walking in the forest of  Wonderland after visiting the Duchess and saving the little pig from the pots and pans of the cook. Then she sees the Cheshire Cat and has a chat with it.

Cheshire Cat declares that "Everyone in Wonderland is Mad" while Alice asks for directions. 

The conversation ends abruptly when the Cat vanishes, but he wants to ask Alice about the pig and suddenly appears again. This happens a couple of times and Alice is getting dizzy from the Cat's vanishing acts. Alice asks the Cheshire Cat not to do it so suddenly.

Therefore, next time the Cat disappears very slowly beginning with the end of the tail and ending with the grin. The grin being the last thing to vanish, it stays in the air by itself for some time, and Alice is pretty amazed by this:

"Well, I've often seen a cat without a grin; but a grin without the cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!"

 [Cheshire Cat illustration by John Tenniel: Wikimedia Commons]

Threatening quote from the Queen of Hearts

This week's Alice in Wonderland quote comes from the ever fearsome Queen of Hearts.

Alice is talking with the Duchess who is released from the prison in the middle of the Queen's croquet game. But when the Queen of Hearts sees the Duchess she stomps on the ground and shouts:

"Now, I give you fair warning, either you or your head must be off, and that in about half no time! Take your choice!"

-the Queen of Hearts

The Duchess doesn't think for a moment but vanishes in a second. She is too scared of the Red Queen and does not want to be taken back to the prison. The Queen then leads speechless Alice back to the croquet-ground.

Alice in Wonderland Quote by the Duchess

This week's Alice in Wonderland quote comes from the Duchess.

After the disappearance of the Cheshire Cat Alice is walking with the Duchess who is for once in a pleasant temper. She tucks her arm into Alice's and rests her chin on Alice's shoulder, which Alice doesn't like much because her chin is uncomfortably sharp.

The Duchess talks and gives morals to everything from love to thinking without speaking. This is a moral to something that only the Duchess can understand:

"Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves."

The Duchess is one of the lesser known characters in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Carroll does not describe her physically in much detail, although as stated in Chapter 9:

"Alice did not much like keeping so close to her: first, because the Duchess was very ugly; and secondly, because she was exactly the right height to rest her chin upon Alice’s shoulder, and it was an uncomfortably sharp chin."

Her hideous appearance and short stature is strongly established in the popular imagination thanks to John Tenniel's illustrations (see below) and from that context it is clear that Alice finds her quite unattractive.

The Duchess is an antagonist of the Queen of Hearts. In her first appearance, the she seems nearly as unpleasant as the Queen herself, but later on treats Alice with friendliness and respect.

The Duchess lives in Wonderland in a small house just outside the Caterpillar's forest She lives with a baby, and a cat called "Cheshire". Yes, she is the owner of the mysterious Cheshire Cat!

She employs a footman, whom Alice thinks resembles a frog, and a cook, who is addicted to pepper and who throws crockery and kitchen utensils over her shoulder with no concern for those who might be hit. The footman enjoys staring at the sky for days on end, oblivious to most people in or out of the house.

The Duchess' character is strongly volatile; at times she even seems to have a double personality. When she first meets Alice in her kitchen, she shows herself to be nervously aggressive.

Alice talks to the Daisies

This Alice in Wonderland quote comes from a scene where Alice talks to the Daisies.

In this adventure Alice walks into a garden with large flower beds bordered by daisies and a willow-tree growing in the middle. Alice wishes that the flowers could talk and becomes speechless when the Tiger-Lily actually answers her! (Fun fact: The flowers Alice meets include a tiger-lily, a rose, a daisy, a violet, and larkspur.)

Tiger Lily explains that all flowers can talk, but because most garden beds are so soft the flowers in them are always sleeping. This garden has a very hard ground and so the flowers are awake and can talk when they are addressed first.

Suddenly, all the daisies start talking and shouting at the same time and Alice shuts them up by whispering these scary words:

"If you don't hold your tongues, I'll pick you!"

King of Hearts quote from Alice in Wonderland

This quote is from the trial scene where the King of Hearts, acting as the judge, is trying to figure out  who has stolen the tarts from the Queen of Hearts:

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you
come to the end: then stop."

The White Rabbit is acting as a Herald for the court, a servant who announces the accusation and the verdict and bears messages.

He is supposed to read out loud a set of verses that has become an evidence in the trial. But the White Rabbit, who is wearing his spectacles, doesn't know where to begin!

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

The Mad Hatter was introduced along with other fantastical beings in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The Hatter first appears in Chapter 7: "A Mad Tea-Party".

In this whimsical encounter, Alice discovers the Hatter having tea with the March Hare and the Dormouse. The Hatter recounts to Alice that their perpetual tea-drinking is a consequence of his attempt to sing for the irritable Queen of Hearts, resulting in a death sentence for "murdering the time."

Miraculously escaping decapitation, the Hatter finds himself frozen at 6:00 pm indefinitely, courtesy of Time, referred to as a male entity by the Hatter.

During the tea party, the Hatter exhibits eccentric behavior, constantly changing positions at the table, making personal comments, posing unanswerable riddles, and reciting nonsensical poetry, ultimately compelling Alice to leave.

The Hatter resurfaces in Chapter 11: "Who Stole the Tarts?" as a witness at the Knave of Hearts' trial. The Queen seems to recognize him as the sentenced singer, and the King of Hearts warns him against nervousness, threatening immediate execution.

The Mad Hatter also makes a brief appearance in Through the Looking-Glass, identified as "Hatta". Facing legal troubles once again, the Hatter may not necessarily be guilty, as the White Queen explains the arbitrary nature of punishments in Wonderland. 

He is also mentioned as one of the White King's messengers, along with the March Hare, going by the name "Haigha". Tenniel's illustration maintains the Hatter's signature top hat, depicted with a hatband reading "In this style 10/6" in the first edition.

Carroll's hometown of Stockport, where hat making was a predominant trade, inspired the Hatter character. During that era, it was not uncommon for hatters to exhibit signs of disturbance or confusion, often linked to mercury poisoning, leading to premature deaths.

However, the Hatter in Carroll's narrative does not display the typical symptoms associated with mercury poisoning, such as excessive timidity, diffidence, increasing shyness, loss of self-confidence, anxiety, and a desire to remain unnoticed and unobtrusive.

Lewis Carroll doesn't describe the hat's exact style in the text, but Tenniel's illustration establishes the iconic top hat with a price tag displaying the numbers 10 and 6, denoting the cost in pre-decimal British currency. This detail is further clarified in The Nursery tale "Alice" where the character's hat bears a price tag indicating ten shillings and six pence.

The Cheshire Cat initially labels the Hatter and his tea party companion, the March Hare, as "both mad." This reference to both characters takes place in the sixth chapter of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, titled "Pig and Pepper" during a conversation between the young protagonist Alice and the distinctive Cheshire Cat.

When Alice inquires about the residents of the area, the cat responds, 

"In that direction lives a Hatter, and in that direction lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad!" 

Mad Hatter's Teaparty surely looks like the coziest garden party one could wish for! I for one would be delighted to go and have some tea and cake in that setting.

John Tenniel's illustration truly captures the eeriness of the hall where Alice finds herself after falling down the rabbit hole

 "There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, wondering how she was ever to get out again." 

-Lewis Carroll

Here is a video by the The Royal Ballet where Alice (Lauren Cuthbertson) stumbles upon the Mad Hatter (Steven McRae) in Christopher Wheeldon's wonderful 2018 production.

If you are mad about Mad Hatter, check out these 5 whimsical quotes from him: https://alice-in-wonderland-quotes.com/mad-hatter-quotes/ 

[Mad Hatter illustration by John Tenniel: Wikimedia Commons] 

Six reasons why the Alice In Wonderland stories are important to people

 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and A Wasp In a Wig by Lewis Carroll, commonly known as Alice in Wonderland are considered important and enduring pieces of literature for several reasons:

1. Imagination and Creativity

The story of Alice is celebrated for its whimsical and imaginative narrative. It takes readers to a fantastical world where logic is often turned upside down, and the impossible becomes possible. This encourages readers, both young and old, to embrace their creativity and think outside their conventional boundaries.

2. Philosophical and Satirical Elements

The three stories are rich with philosophical and satirical elements offering views on various aspects of society, culture and human behavior. Lewis Carroll used wordplay, paradoxes and absurd situations to explore deeper meanings; challenging readers to think critically about the world around them.

3. Timelessness

Despite being written in the 19th century the themes and lessons in Alice in Wonderland remain relevant. The exploration of identity, self-discovery and navigating the complexities of life are universal themes that resonate with readers across generations.

4. Cultural Impact

The characters and imagery from Alice in Wonderland have become iconic and ingrained in popular culture. From the Red Queen, the Caterpillar, Tweedledum and Tweedledee to Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter these characters have taken on a life of their own and are frequently referenced in literature, art and other media. The stories have inspired numerous adaptations, movies, games, opera and plays contributing to their enduring cultural significance.

5. Literary Merit

The books themselves are celebrated for their linguistic inventiveness and whimsical wordplay. Lewis Carroll's use of language, puns and clever dialogue has made them a classic in children's literature appreciated not only for their narrative but also for their unique linguistic artistry.

6. Appeal to All Ages

While often classified as children's books all three Alice in Wonderland stories have a broad appeal that extend to readers of all ages. Their layered narrative and complex themes make them a rewarding read for adults who can appreciate the deeper meanings beneath the surface-level whimsy.

In summary the Alice in Wonderland stories are important to people for their philosophical depth, timeless relevance, cultural impact and their ability to ignite imagination. They continue to captivate readers and inspire creativity while offering thought provoking insights into the human mind.

I'm sure that you have read the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but have you read the sequel Through the Looking Glass, or the missing chapter A Wasp In a Wig? If not, just click the links and you can check them out.

[Image credit: Flickr]

Are You All Set For a Whimsical Halloween?

 

Halloween is nearly here and maybe Mad Hatter will get a new hat? 

 

 

Do you have your Halloween costume already? Click here to see a special Alice in Wonderland theme shop: https://alice-in-wonderland-quotes.com/shop/ 

 

Photo by Criativa Pix Fotografia CC.