Short summary - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

British literature summaries - 2020

Short summary - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll

The heroine of the book, a girl named Alice, begins her journey into Wonderland unexpectedly for herself: Alice, who is limp with heat and idleness, suddenly noticed a rabbit, which in itself is not surprising; but this rabbit turned out to be not only talking (which Alice was not surprised at that minute too), but also the owner of a pocket watch, and in addition he was in a hurry somewhere. Burning with curiosity, Alisa rushed after him into a hole and found herself ... in a vertical tunnel, through which she swiftly (or not? Because she managed to notice that she was standing on the shelves on the walls, and even grabbed a jar with the sticker “Orange marmalade”, unfortunately empty) fell through the ground. But it all ends in this world, Alisino’s fall ended, too, and quite safely: she was in the big hall, the Rabbit disappeared, but Alice saw many doors, and on the table - a small golden key, which she managed to open the door to a wonderful garden, but it was impossible to go there: Alice was too big. But the bottle with the inscription “Drink me” immediately turned up to her; Despite Alice’s peculiar caution, she nevertheless drank from the bottle and began to decrease, so much so that she was frightened, no matter what happened to her, what happens to the flame of a candle when the candle is blown out. It is good that there was a pie nearby with the inscription "Eat me"; having eaten it, Alice waved to such a size that she began to say goodbye to her legs, which remained somewhere far below. Everything here was very strange and unpredictable. Even the multiplication table and long-learned poems came out from Alice sykos-nakos; the girl did not recognize herself and even decided that it was not she at all, but a completely different girl; from grief and endless oddities she cried. And the whole lake cried, even there she almost drowned. But it turned out that she was not alone in the tear lake, a mouse snorted nearby. The polite Alice started a conversation with her (it would be awkward to be silent), but, unfortunately, she talked about cats, because Alice had a favorite cat at home. However, the mouse, offended by Alice’s callousness, withdrew, and the newly appeared Rabbit sent Alice, like some maid, to his home for a fan and gloves, as he was heading to the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. even she almost drowned there. But it turned out that she was not alone in the tear lake, a mouse snorted nearby. The polite Alice started a conversation with her (it would be awkward to be silent), but, unfortunately, she talked about cats, because Alice had a favorite cat at home. However, the mouse, offended by Alice’s callousness, withdrew, and the newly appeared Rabbit sent Alice, like some maid, to his home for a fan and gloves, as he was heading to the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. even she almost drowned there. But it turned out that she was not alone in the tear lake, a mouse snorted nearby. The polite Alice started a conversation with her (it would be awkward to be silent), but, unfortunately, she talked about cats, because Alice had a favorite cat at home. However, the mouse, offended by Alice’s callousness, withdrew, and the newly appeared Rabbit sent Alice, like some maid, to his home for a fan and gloves, as he was heading to the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered the Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. The polite Alice started a conversation with her (it would be awkward to be silent), but, unfortunately, she talked about cats, because Alice had a favorite cat at home. However, the mouse, offended by Alice’s callousness, withdrew, and the newly appeared Rabbit sent Alice, like some maid, to his home for a fan and gloves, as he was heading to the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. The polite Alice started a conversation with her (it would be awkward to be silent), but, unfortunately, she talked about cats, because Alice had her favorite cat at home. However, the Mouse, offended by Alice’s callousness, withdrew, and the newly appeared Rabbit sent Alice, like some maid, to his home for a fan and gloves, as he was heading to the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered the Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. and the newly arrived Rabbit sent Alice, like some servant, to his house for a fan and gloves, as he was heading for the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away. and the newly arrived Rabbit sent Alice, like some servant, to his house for a fan and gloves, as he was heading for the Duchess. Alice did not argue, entered Rabbit’s house, but out of curiosity, she drank some liquid from the next bottle, and grew to such a size that she nearly smashed the house. It's good that they threw her stones, turning into pies, she again became tiny and ran away.

For a long time she wandered in the grassy jungle, almost got on the tooth of a young puppy and finally found herself near a large mushroom, on the hat of which Caterpillar sat and importantly smoked a hookah. Alice complained that she constantly changes in growth and does not recognize herself, but Caterpillar did not find anything special in such changes and reacted to the confused Alice without any sympathy, especially hearing that she, you see, was not happy with three inches growth - The caterpillar was very happy with such growth! Offended Alice withdrew, taking with her a piece of mushroom.

The mushroom came in handy when Alice saw the house: she chewed a little mushroom, grew up to nine inches and approached the house, on the threshold of which one footman, similar to a fish, gave the other, looking like a toad, the Duchess's invitation to the Queen for a party in croquet. Alice for a long time found out from Lackey-Toad whether she could enter, did not understand anything from his answers (not devoid of her strange logic) and entered the house. She ended up in the kitchen, where there was no rest from smoke and pepper; there the cook was cooking, and nearby the Duchess sat with a screaming baby in her arms; in between, the cook threw the dishes in both; a big cat watched all this with a grin. To the surprised Alice, the Duchess briefly explained that the cat is smiling, because it is the Cheshire Cat, adding that in fact all cats know how to smile. After which the Duchess began to hum the screeching baby, seemingly a familiar lullaby, but from this song Alice felt terrible. In the end, the Duchess threw the bundle with her baby Alice, who brought out a strangely restless grunting baby from the house and suddenly was amazed to see that this was not a child at all, but a pig! Alice involuntarily recalled other children, from whom, perhaps, very nice little pigs would also have come out.

Then the Cheshire Cat reappeared in front of Alice, and she asked him where to go next. The cat, smiling, explained that if, as she says, she doesn't care where she comes, then she can go in any direction. He calmly told the girl that everything in this country was abnormal, and even the smart little Alice could not challenge his evidence. After which the Cat disappeared - all except a broad smile, which hung in the air for a long time. This property of the Cat was especially useful to him when the fierce Red Queen ordered to chop off his head: the Cat immediately disappeared, only his head was visible in the air, but how do you order to chop off his head if she doesn’t have a body? And the cat only grinned broadly.


Alice, meanwhile, went to the insane March Hare and fell on a tea so beloved and familiar with the British, but completely unusual. The hare and the mad Hatter were forced to drink tea more than once or twice a day (which would be natural and reasonable), but continuously — such was their punishment for killing Time. Since they treated her very inhospitablely, confused her and laughed at her, Alice left, and after new adventures she finally got into the royal garden, where gardeners painted white roses in red. And then the royal couple appeared, the Chervonny King and Queen, surrounded by courtiers - smaller and diamond cards. And although the King and Queen showed an unusual severity to others, and the Queen demanded to chop heads almost for everyone, Alice was not afraid: after all, they are just cards,

Alice saw almost all of her acquaintances in Wonderland in the hall where they tried the Hearts of Hearts, which, as the old song said, stole the pies baked by the Queen. How strange testimony was given in court by frightened witnesses! How they tried to write down all the nonsense juries and how they confused them all! And suddenly they called Alice, who managed to grow to her usual size. The King and the Queen tried to intimidate her, but their attempts were smashed against her sound logic, and to the threat of the death penalty, she calmly replied: “You are just a deck of cards,” and the magic was dispelled. Alice woke up on the same meadow near her sister. Around was the familiar landscape, heard the usual sounds. So it was only a dream! ..