Wonderful Wonderland

 

The old story of Alice in Wonderland continues to delight and annoy people of all ages. I liked it all right when I was little. For a child, getting the way of the world straight was exactly the same as navigating Wonderland. Now that I look back, I remember the bewilderment of being too little for some things and too big for others.

For most people, the song, 'Go Ask Alice' eternally linked the story to drug use. That's too bad. Understanding the child-mind requires Wonderland's shape-shifting, dreamlike ether. Who doesn't remember times when they felt like they were drowning in their own tears as the cerebral cortex battled for control over the limbic system? Some people chose to fight that battle over and over with synthetic chemicals. Co-opting a child's metaphor was a cheap trick.

The television series 'Lost' also uses Wonderland's trappings. Although it isn't easily recognizable, the characters struggle to force logic on shifting reality. To transform the old story into an adult metaphor, the writers had to insert faith versus reason. It works.

I'm eager to see the newest Alice in Wonderland. Since Disney usually bases its movies on the coming of age metaphor, I don't care how much they've changed the storyline.

Nancy Sherer

 

 


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