Inspirational people surround us at every turn. To celebrate some of the incredible women who continue to motivate me on my writing journey I look at the women/characters who are my artistic inspiration.
Last time I honoured fictional film character, Andie from Pretty in Pink. You can read that post HERE. Today, I’m devoting the Monday Muse to another fictional character, Alice in Wonderland.
The school holidays are upon us (whoop whoop), and I’ve taken full advantage of the summer sunshine, discounted travel, and staycation deals and whisked my three teens off to London for a few days.
I love our Capital city, it’s full of history, diversity, and quirky people! I met this colourful character during my last trip to Camden (which is where I’ve brought the kids today). You’ve got to love the Mad Hatter!
Getting up close and personal with the MH himself prompted me to explore another pivotal character for the Monday Muse this week – Alice.
There are many interpretations about the young girl who fell down a rabbit-hole, but my favourite by far is how Alice grew during her adventures – and I’m not talking about her inability to avoid the magic ‘eat me’ cakes! She matures in this beautiful coming-of-age tale that borders on the insane. Growing and shrinking all point towards the ups and downs of life – something that we can all relate to.
Alice is alone. She is far from home and doesn’t have the support of her family around her. How does she cope? She deals with everything quite admirably as it happens. Would we cope in the same way I wonder?
Lewis Carroll was able to extract all his angst and day to day issues and feed them into his stories – some people believed he was on drugs when writing specific scenes in Alice in Wonderland, but as a survivor of anxiety and depression myself, I can understand how he channelled real life and used it positively.
Writing is an escape for me, as I know reading is for many. Losing yourself in a story can lessen a lifetime of pain. I love the simplicity of fairy tales that allow us to switch off the world for short periods of time – something that we all appear to need these days.
“Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman ; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long-ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child- life, and the happy summer days.”
So, I will enjoy my short summer days here in London, and hope that my children remember them with a fondness that echoes that of Alice and her adventures in Wonderland. Now, anyone up for a tea-party?
“Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea-tray in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle — “
Have you read Alice in Wonderland, and did you enjoy it? Were there any themes that you spotted in the story?
Shelley Wilson Author 
I played The Mad Hatter in the school play. It was my one and only starring role, but was great fun. I love the Disney film. It’s a ‘must watch’ every Christmas in our household.
Hope you have a wonderful time in London, Shelly.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks, Hugh. The sun is shining so it’s all good 🙂 I think you need to share photographic evidence of your starring role!! 😉
LikeLike
Love this, Shelley! Bekah made us all up as characters from Tim Burton’s ‘Alice’ for her A-Level art, brilliant pictures! Alice always inspires me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds fantastic, I’d love to see the pictures 🙂
LikeLike
ah me Twinkle twinkle.. happy days. I loved the alternate version my dad recited too. Scintillate scintillate globule vivific…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, love it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had no idea #MondayMuse was already a thing! I proposed it to Andy as something we could start up, looks like my idea is already out there 😛 Oh well! Great post Shelley and thanks for sharing Shelly, I love hearing where people’s inspiration comes from.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Shaun. There is no new idea – only a new way to deal with it! I’d love to see how you could work the #MondayMuse to suit your blog and interests. I’ve been writing up my Monday Muse posts for a few months and they’ve been well received. As you say, we all have our unique inspirations and it is truly fascinating to read about. 🙂
LikeLike
There’s an awesome Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery up in Newcastle if you can make it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds wonderful *adds a trip to Newcastle on my bucket list* 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this idea! Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books, which doesn’t hurt, either haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, it certainly helps, Aubrey. Thanks for stopping by x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Writing is definitely escape for me too. Actually, it’s sort of like going home…. Does that make sense? Sometimes I’m more comfortable living in their world than ours! 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree with you, Sacha. I prefer to live in fantasy land than real life most of the time! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing story! Amazing writer, as there is nothing better than be in lost in an imaginative word! I love how he makes up noises words and makes them sound like they exist! I do this daily in my very day life! I think people think I’m a bit crazy! I played the dormouse in this, in a youth theatre, years ago! It was great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Alice in Wonderland…
I played the 6 of Hearts in it once… then was promoted to the March Hare the second time we did the production…
I love the underlying themes that occur in it.. the fantastical whimsy of it all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please tell me you have photographic evidence, Ritu!! 😉
LikeLike
Sounds like you had a wonderful summer mini-vacation with the kids! Love Alice, but it’s been many years since I’ve read it – I should definitely give it a re-read in the near future. And I’m always up for a good tea party! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was fabulous! I think we should all revisit a classic book every year because they’re such a huge part of our childhood but then we forget about it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person