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

Oh my ears and whiskers! 

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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]

Alice meeting with the Caterpillar

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101 Famous quotes from Alice I Wonderland

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See you all there!

-Alice

King of Hearts Quote from Alice in Wonderland

This week's Alice in Wonderland quote is a conversation between Alice and King of Hearts. 

Alice is called up as a witness in the trial where the judge, King of Hearts is trying to find out who stole the Queen's tarts.

But Alice is so very tall and big at this moment that she accidentally tips over the jury box with all the jurymen.

This makes the King of Hearts very annoyed and he decides to ask Alice to leave since she knows nothing about the stolen tarts anyway. But it doesn't go so well for King of Hearts:

King of Hearts: "Rule 42: All persons more than a mile high to leave the court."

Alice: "I am not a mile high. I shan't go at any rate. Besides, that's not a regular rule: you invented it just now."

King of Hearts: "It's the oldest rule in the book."

Alice: "Then it ought to be Number One!"

Alice wins this round and stays in court!

[Image credit: King of Hearts illustration by Upi Olin]

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101 Famous Quotes From Alice In Wonderland 

Secret Alice in Wonderland Quote by the White Queen

Are you an Alice in Wonderland buff who knows most of the quotes in the Wonderland books? Do you know this one?
I will give you some clues and you can be the one to figure out what the quote is!

Alice meets the White Queen whose hair and clothing are a mess. Alice helps to entangle the Queen's hair and straightens her shawl. The White Queen is so impressed that she'd like to hire Alice as a lady's maid. She promises to pay Alice two pence a week and something else that has a rule attached to it. Now your turn is to figure out what that rule is!

"The rule is..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ."

-the White Queen

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Next week we will post the full quote by the White Queen on this blog.

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If you can't wait for next week, but want to find out the answer right now, you can get the 101 Quotes eBook with the answers here: https://alice-in-wonderland-quotes.com/

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Alice in Wonderland Quote by the Gryphon

This rather blunt quote by the Gryphon is one of my all time favorite Alice in Wonderland quotes!

Alice is having a conversation with the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon by the beach. Alice has been mostly listening to the other two telling their stories and songs but then the Gryphon asks Alice to tell about her adventures as well.

When Alice begins her tale a little hesitantly the Mock Turtle wants her to explain it all. But the Gryphon is impatient and wants to hear only the exiting parts. This is what he says:

"The adventures first...explanations take such a dreadful time."

If you don't know what a "Gryphon" is true to a conventional view of a griffin it is part lion part eagle. It has the head, talons and wings of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion. Pretty cool, eh?

[Image credit: Gryphon illustration by Upi Olin]

Alice in Wonderland Quote by the Red Queen

Oh my ears and whiskers! 

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Alice In Wonderland Movie Wins Two Oscars In the 83rd Academy Awards

Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 in Hollywood

Alice In Wonderland movie was nominated in 3 categories in the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.

The first nomination was for Achievement in Art Direction, against 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1', 'Inception', 'True Grit' and 'The King's Speech'.

Alice in Wonderland Movie was the winner of this category! Robert Stromberg (Production Design) and Karen O’Hara (Set Decoration) accepted the Oscar for Best Art Direction.

Robert Stromberg had one of the prop makers make a little Mad Hatter’s hat and he put the hat on top of his Oscar when he accepted the golden statue. 

He said: "I just thought it was a nice little punctuation to the end of the show."

The Second Oscar for Alice in Wonderland went to Colleen Atwood for her Outstanding Achievement  in costume design. She has won the Academy Award twice before; first time in 2003 for "Chicago" and the second time in 2006 for "Memoirs of a Geisha".

 

Carey Villegas was nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his work as visual effects supervisor on Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The biggest competitor in this category was Inception.

“Inception” has some very good effects, Villegas said, but there were only 500-800 visual effects shots, as compared to 2,000 in “Alice.

The two movies both had won an award recently. “Alice In Wonderland” had won the Golden Satellite Award for visual effects in December 2010, and “Inception” won the British Academy Awards in February 2011.

So, the competition was tight but in the end it was Inception that won the Oscar in Visual Effects category.

 

Movie poster credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alice_in_Wonderland_(2010_film).png

Will Alice In Wonderland Win A Spot In Oscar Nominations?

Alice in Wonderland is one of the seven films that remain in the makeup competition of the 83rd Academy Awards.

January 22, 2011 will be an important date for Alice in Wonderland Movie.

Members of the Academy's Makeup Branch will view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films. Following the screenings, they will vote to nominate three films for Oscar consideration.

The other titles competing for a nomination position are  

• The Fighter
• Barney's Version
• Jonah Hex
• True Grit
• The Way Back and 
• The Wolfman

The winners for the 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on January 25.

Let's all keep our fingers crossed for Alice!

Alice in Wonderland Exhibition by Julia Starr

The Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane, Australia, is having a gorgeous looking exhibition of works based on Alice in Wonderland.  The artist having this solo exhibition is named Julia Starr.

The latest solo exhibition is based on the beloved fairytale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, taking influence from the classic Disney movie.  She has also drawn upon various other iconic images and a touch of the current dark and far more sinister Tim Burton movie showing Alice as an adult.

Starr’s work shows the journey a modern woman takes as she struggles to hold on to traditional values. iPods, Facebook, Coke Cola and the Twilight phenomena are all entwined as she navigates her way through an ever changing technological world.  

Whether it be ‘Wonderland’ or Brisbane, this exhibition is brought together by the unique style, colourful imagery and creativity that can only come from one artist…. Starr.  (Red Hill Gallery)

 

Alice in Wonderland already on DVD/ Blu-Ray

The time has flown so fast and 12 weeks from the opening of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland on big screens has gone by. And now we can enjoy the fascinating story on our home screens. 

The DVD and Blu-Ray discs are already available. Even the price isn't that bad at least if you get it from Amazon:  Alice in Wonderland (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) 

This amazing 3 Disc Combo is only $25 and there are so many  extras which are exclusive to Blu-ray that I'm seriously contemplating on going to buy the Blu-ray player!

Bountiful extras include the creation of the Red Queen, stunts, how Alice shrank and grew, and the making of the cakes. And of course the extravagant Futterwacken Dance by the Mad Hatter.

USA TODAY's Claudia Puig gives: * * *1/2 out of four for Alice in Wonderland 2010. 

"Burton's distinctive cinematic style makes this eclectic fantasy — infused with both dark and light — a dynamic marriage of original material and modern filmmaker."

By the way, we love it!

Helena Bonham Carter Reveals The Red Queen's Subtle Anger

Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' movie has kept a top position in cinemas for 2 weeks in a row now, and it is clearly on the way of becoming the highest grossing Burton film!

 

Meanwhile Burton's partner and the villain star of Wonderland, Helena Bonham Carter has been talking about her role as the Red Queen in an interview with Ian Spelling for New York Times Syndicate. See the video:

 

This is what Bonham Carter said about her getting the role in this production.

"No, no, no, I just assume that I'm not going to be a part of it unless he [Tim Burton] asks. And he asked me quite late in the day about 'Alice in Wonderland.' I remember that he phoned up, because I was working away, I was doing 'Terminator' in New Mexico. He phoned up and wondered if I would ever possibly think I'd want to play the Red Queen."

It's very low-status, the way he asks. I'd never read the script, so I didn't know what he was talking about. Then,when I read it, I read her character description. Her name is Iracebeth of Crims. 

 

It said Iracebeth ie. the Red Queen enters. She has a huge, oversized head and is very, very angry. I thought, Well, that's interesting, how he sees me now.

He said, Well, I did draw you. That's what often happens is that he sort of trusts his unconscious, and he said that his early drawings of the character looked like me. I wouldn't say that it's completely me, but the drawings have definitely got my angry eyebrows.

Tim Burton gave specific instructions for Helena to capture his idea of the Red Queen: He likes, always, to have a quieter take. He doesn't like big acting. 

 

It's funny - the more outrageous you are or the more unreal, the more real he wants you to pull back.

 

He gave me two notes. He wanted me to watch 'Mommie Dearest' (1981) and Bette Davis' Elizabeth I in 'The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex' (1939) with Errol Flynn.

 

Faye Dunaway doing the hanger scene in 'Mommie Dearest' basically it's a person who's about to erupt, somebody who's on the edge of anger all the time.

It was quite hard because it was unreal. It was like with Mrs. Lovett, he said. Look, you're already singing, that's unreal, so I want you to be as small in your acting as possible.

 

Here he said:

 

"We're in Wonderland, or Underland, so you have to compensate for that."

Alice In Wonderland Movie Review

I have just returned from the Underland, Tim Burton's Wonderland. I've met all the creatures, and while many of them are funny and cute, the Cheshire Cat is best of all. This vaporising feline appears suddenly, always at the right time and disappears as quickly, finally saving the day!

Alice in Wonderland is Disney's latest 3D production. Alice Kingsley (Mia Wasikowska) is a 19 year old girl in Victorian era who escapes getting engaged by following a White Rabbit through a rabbit hole to Underland. There she meets the Mad Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, March Hare and Dormouse who try to convince Alice that she is the one who will help them return the crown to the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) from the evil big-headed Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Evidently there will be a battle scene in this plot but it is not too dark for all the family to enjoy.  Actually there is nothing dark in this Tim Burton film, except the stepping stones in the water surrounding the Castle. That is a little surprising considering Tim Burton's other movies; Edward Scissorhand, Corpse of A Bride, Sweeney Todd.

The scenery and animation is superb. It is amazing how believable the characters seem. The actual people acting with animated characters looks effortless and real. Another favorite of mine was the Caterpillar with the voice and facial features of Alan Rickman. All in all the many furry animals have such extreme personalities and they are so endearing, as you could expect from a Disney film, that there was a lot of laughter in the cinema tonight.

The music in the movie was in tune with the scenes, beautiful and exiting. Tim Burton has added many quotes to this film  from the original Lewis Carroll books. "Why is the raven like a writing desk?" is used several times; it truly points out the madness of the Hatter (Johnny Depp). But one was left missing: "We're all mad here!"

I enjoyed the film and so did my daughter who was giggling out loud half the time. I'd like to see it soon again and escape into the magic of Wonderland.

Seen the movie, now get the book:

Alice In Wonderland Stars In Green Room Footage Behind The Scenes

 

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!"

Alice quotes the White Queen in this behind the scenes footage. It is very interesting to see how Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway actually work in the green room. 

Crispin Glover has an especially demanding job playing the huge Knave of Hearts since he needs to act on extended wooden legs to have a realistic look of a giant.

Only a few more days to go, and we'll be enjoying the movie event of the year! "Curiouser and curiouser!"

Read all the stories before you see the movie here> https://alice-in-wonderland-quotes.com/paperback-book/

World Premiere Of Alice In Wonderland Movie In London 2010

Alice in Wonderland had its world royal premiere in London on Thursday February 25, 2010.

The stars of the film, including Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter came to the premiere in central London's Leicester Square where hundreds of fans were waiting to see them in pouring rain. 

Curiously the British movie theater chain Odeon had resolved a dispute with Walt Disney Pictures about the release date for the DVD version just in time for the world premiere. Thus the U.K. audience will see the movie in theatres in 3D!

Tim Burton told a press conference he was relieved the issue was resolved.

"I'm just glad it's resolved. We made it 3D to be shown in the 3D screens and so I'm just very happy and grateful," he said.  

"3D and Alice seem to fit," Burton told Sky News. 

"There's something about the trippiness of the Alice world that helps bring you into that 3D space."

All is fine in Wonderland after all, or is it?