Alice's Adventures Under Ground / Being a facsimile of the original Ms. book afterwards developed into "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

19002

Title

Alice's Adventures Under Ground / Being a facsimile of the original Ms. book afterwards developed into "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Lewis Carroll presents the original manuscript of his famous tale, capturing the moment Alice chases a white rabbit down a hole. This facsimile offers a nostalgic glimpse into the genesis of Wonderland, blending whimsical nonsense with sincere reflections on childhood, faith, and the nature of imagination.

Summary up to 500 words

Lewis Carroll's *Alice's Adventures Under Ground* presents the original handwritten manuscript of the classic tale, serving as the direct precursor to the published *Alice's Adventures in Wonderland*. The narrative begins with young Alice, bored by her sister's bookless reading on a hot summer day, who chases a peculiar white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and carrying a watch. Tumbling down a deep rabbit-hole, she lands in a strange underground world filled with cupboards, maps, and locked doors. Finding a tiny golden key, she discovers a door leading to a beautiful garden but cannot fit through it. Shrinking after drinking from a mysterious bottle, she eventually enters the garden, only to find the key lost in her tears, creating a 'pool of tears.' The text includes Carroll's own illustrations and heartfelt prefaces, including an Easter greeting and Christmas message, where he reflects on the innocence of children and his desire to bring joy to sick children in hospitals. The book serves as both a literary artifact and a charitable offering, preserving the germ that grew into the classic published volume. Carroll's prefaces reveal a deep affection for childhood, blending whimsical nonsense with sincere spiritual reflections. He expresses a wish to help sick children forget their pain through the story, noting that the profits from the book were intended for children's hospitals. In his Easter greeting, he invites readers to imagine a real letter from a friend, encouraging children to find joy in nature and faith, suggesting that God loves the innocent laughter of children as much as solemn prayers. His Christmas message further emphasizes that for children, all the year is Christmas-tide, filled with peace and goodwill. The manuscript captures the transition from a private story told to a young girl, Liddell, to a published work, highlighting Carroll's evolution from a storyteller to a writer who sought to touch the hearts of the vulnerable. The facsimile edition preserves the original handwriting and illustrations, offering a glimpse into the creative process behind one of literature's most enduring fantasies.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19002.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg19002.epub

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction