Buzz
Upon its release in 1865, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland became an instant sensation. The novel is celebrated for revolutionizing children’s literature, introducing playful absurdity to a field previously dominated by moral lessons. This year marks the 150th anniversary of this literary milestone. Below are some lesser-known details about Alice and its creator, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, famously known as Lewis Carroll:
1. The inspiration for Alice was the daughter of Carroll’s employer.
The real-life Alice, who inspired the character, was the daughter of Henry Liddell, the dean of Christ Church College at Oxford, where Carroll worked as a mathematics lecturer. “All staff members of the college resided on campus,” explains Carolyn Vega, assistant curator of literary and historical manuscripts at the Morgan Library, which is currently hosting an exhibition on Alice. “Carroll initially met the dean and Alice’s older brother, which led to his acquaintance with the entire family.”
Alice Liddell adorned with a wreath as “Queen of May,” 1860. Image Credit: Albumen print, Photograph by Lewis Carroll (1832–1898). Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2015.
2. The Mad Hatter owes his existence to the relentless enthusiasm of children.
During a summer boating excursion on the Thames in 1862, Carroll began weaving a fantastical tale for Alice Liddell and her sisters, never intending to become a children’s author. However, much like a child insisting on rewatching Frozen, the girls repeatedly begged him to recount the story. Carroll noted in his diary the endless retellings of “the interminable Alice’s adventures.” Eventually, he transformed the tale into a written manuscript, gifting it to Alice as an early Christmas present in 1864. By the time he self-published Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865, the story had expanded significantly, incorporating new characters like the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. “These additions likely emerged during later retellings,” Vega explains.
3. The book’s original illustrator was deeply dissatisfied with the first edition.
Carroll enlisted renowned English artist John Tenniel to illustrate the story. Upon seeing the initial print, Tenniel was horrified by the poor reproduction of his artwork. Carroll, determined to rectify the issue, withdrew the entire edition and spent over half his yearly income to reprint it, plunging into debt before the book’s official release. Fortunately, Alice became an immediate hit upon publication. The flawed first edition copies were eventually sold in the United States.
4. The story was adapted into a film as early as 1903.
Shortly after Carroll’s passing, filmmakers Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stowe transformed the tale into a 12-minute movie, which became the longest film produced in Britain at the time. Hepworth took on the role of the Frog Footman, while his wife portrayed both the White Rabbit and the Queen.
5. Carroll nearly named it “Alice’s Hour in Elfland.”
In his diary, Carroll recounted the boating trip that inspired him to create the story for young Alice Liddell. He experimented with several titles for the novel. The initial version, gifted to the 10-year-old Liddell, was titled “Alice’s Adventures Underground.” However, before publication, Carroll considered renaming it Alice’s Hour in Elfland. Another discarded option was Alice Among the Fairies. Ultimately, he settled on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a decision that proved to be the right one.
6. The book cleverly mocks contemporary mathematical theories.
Experts suggest that Carroll’s profession influenced the book, embedding satire about 19th-century mathematical advancements, such as imaginary numbers. For example, the Mad Hatter’s riddle comparing a raven to a writing desk reflects the growing abstraction in mathematics during that era, as mathematician Keith Devlin explained to NPR in 2010. Carroll, a traditionalist in mathematics, viewed emerging mathematical concepts of the mid-1800s as ridiculous compared to the classical algebra and Euclidean geometry he preferred.
“Nothing but a pack of cards!” 1885. Image Credit: John Tenniel (1820–1914), Hand-colored proof. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
7. The original artwork was etched onto woodblocks.
By the time Tenniel illustrated Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, he was already famous for his political cartoons. His designs were initially sketched on paper, then meticulously carved into woodblocks by engravers. These blocks were later converted into metal electrotype copies for the printing process.
Carte de visite photograph of Lewis Carroll with a lens, 1863. Image Credit: Photograph by Oscar Gustav Rejlander. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2015.
8. The absurdity of Wonderland would have felt familiar to the real Alice.
“Many elements that appear nonsensical to us would have been perfectly logical to Alice and her sisters,” Vega notes. For instance, when the Mock Turtle mentions taking lessons in drawing, sketching, and “fainting in coils” from an “old conger-eel,” the Liddell sisters would have recognized their own art tutor, who taught them sketching, drawing, and oil painting. Much of the book’s so-called nonsense was rooted in real-life experiences, people, and places familiar to the children, Vega explains.
9. The Dodo character is a representation of Carroll himself.
In the story, Carroll references the 1862 boating trip that inspired the tale by transforming the participants—Alice, her sisters, and Carroll’s colleague—into birds. Carroll is depicted as the Dodo, a nod to his real name, Charles Dodgson. Reportedly, Carroll had a stammer, often introducing himself as “Do-do-dogson.” This speech impediment, which sometimes severely affected him, prevented him from pursuing priesthood, steering him toward mathematics and writing instead.
A page from the original manuscript gifted to Alice Liddell by Lewis Carroll. Image Credit: Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, completed 13 September 1864, Illustrated manuscript. © The British Library Board.
10. The original manuscript seldom travels outside London.
For its recent exhibition, New York City’s Morgan Library secured Carroll’s original manuscript of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground”—the handwritten and illustrated version gifted to Alice Liddell. Owned by the British Library, the manuscript rarely ventures abroad. When it does, it’s a significant event, as The New York Times reports:
[I]t is accompanied by security measures whose specifics are shrouded in secrecy, much like Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Jamie Andrews, the head of cultural engagement for the British Library, mentioned that it wasn’t checked on the flight (‘We don’t freight items like that’), but he declined to reveal its exact location on the plane or who accompanied it. Its arrival caused a small commotion at the airport. "I presented the customs form to the officer at J. F. K.," Mr. Andrews recalled. The officer glanced at the manuscript’s declared value, a figure Mr. Andrews kept confidential. "He exclaimed, 'Jeez, son, what have you got in there, the crown jewels?' In a way, it is our crown jewels."
“Off with her head!” 1885. Image Credit: John Tenniel (1820–1914), Hand-colored proof. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
11. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was a trailblazer in brand licensing.
Carroll was a shrewd promoter of his tale and its characters, a key reason the story remains widely recognized even among those who haven’t read it. “He was among the first authors to collaborate with manufacturers on merchandise,” Vega explains. Carroll embraced tie-ins, designing a postage stamp case featuring Alice and permitting her image to appear on cookie tins and other items. For enthusiasts curious about the book’s origins, he produced a replica of the original manuscript, an uncommon practice for authors of his era. Later, he crafted a condensed version for younger audiences. His 19th-century marketing foresight anticipated the franchise-driven strategies of companies like Disney long before their inception.
12. The book has remained in print continuously since its release.
Translated into 176 languages, the book’s sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, sold out within just seven weeks of publication.
