Is alice in wonderland about drugs? If yes what are some examples?

Question

I've heard it was but one of my friends said that people only think that if they do drugs themselves. So is this a myth or is it really true? What are some examples?

Answer 1

"No. Carroll did not use drugs while writing the story. The larger part of the story was invented when he was on a boat trip with a friend, the real Alice and her sisters. He invented it while they rowed. The drug rumor was first spread in the 1960's by supporters of the then new LSD subculture. The rumor is believed to have originated from the psychiatrists who introduced LSD into our society.
Some people insist that one has to be on drugs to write such a creative story. But why shouldn't someone have a creative mind of his own? If Carroll was on drugs, the Alice books would probably be a series of rambling, disconnected, surrealist scenarios. But the Alice books are far from random. They contain some very intricate logic problems and very clever puns (not to mention Alice's journey in "Through the Looking-Glass", which follows the moves of a chess game), that could only be the work of a sharp mind in full control of its abilities. Furthermore, you'll find the same style of writing in the magazines he wrote in his youth, his various poems, stories, and other writings, and especially in the letters he wrote. If the Alice books were drug induced, the rest of his voluminous output would seem to suggest he was on drugs 24/7.
There is indeed one part in the book that may describe the use of drugs: the hookah smoking Caterpillar who advises Alice to eat from the mushroom. But with the story Carroll made fun of all aspects of society, and it may be possible that he was just reflecting the age with this part (note that this chapter wasn't even part of the original story, but was added later!). In the Victorian era there were no drug laws like we know them. Opium, cocaine, and laudanum (a painkiller that contained opium) were used for medicinal purposes, and could be obtained from a pharmacist. Mind that LSD was not even invented yet! So in Carroll's days it was not uncommon to experience the effect of being 'high', whether or not accidentally. However, it was definitely not Carroll's intention to write a book about drugs: he wanted to entertain a little girl whom he loved. No evidence has ever been found that linked Carroll to drug use. Even in his diaries, Carroll has never made any reference to the use of drugs."

Answer 2

I wrote this whole thing that I thought you were both right. because a book I read called 'The Seven Sisters of Sleep' written in 1860 A book that tells about the use of seven popular recreational drugs in Britain during that time
. It was a bit of a sensation than. It spoke about the slangs, the way the drugs were taken, the history of each and the small culture each had in England at that time And I wrote how it was obvious to me that the symbolism associated with 3 of the drugs and obvious use of 2 was used by Lewis Carroll in writing Alice in wonderland. Well, one doesn't even have to think that hard.
While posting a link for the book( I highly recommend it on it's own merit to anyone interested in this topic, or History or A work about society but you can prove to your friend with it)
and Lo and Behold- On Amazon The book is described as major influence on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Maybe the drug culture influence would be pretty hard to disprove if you have the book until then with no strong reference to the culture of the 1860's your friend might not believe and continue to believe it is just a pot heads pipe dream(for the record I for one have NEVER done drugs). unnoticeable in the story now -That would have been even more obvious back than is the Pepper -betel nut leaf, and flowers being turned from white to red cannabis to hash, . the Tea party-datura being used in tea.
Let me also point out-I do also believe he might actually been criticizing some (esp the tea party) use though. but that just my personal opinion. The opuim and fly agaric effects are so generalized in this work their use is easy to spot.
I never heard a rumor suggesting that Lewis Carroll was high when writing this work. The thing that's being suggested is that drugs play a huge role as part as the story. I always believed that Carroll very much was a very imaginative writer and i think others do to.
To me the knowledge just makes the work that much more fascinating.
P.S. in the End your friend was wrong
P.S.S. The cincher is the writer explaining the history of tobacoo in russia.-If caught twice using they would "Cut off your Head'

Answer 3

Its a myth....i mean think about it...im sure you've had dreams that are out of wack...thats all alice had....a weird dream. Just cause its colorful and weird...and a caterpiller smokes doesnt mean it has to do anything with drugs. Would Walt Disney really make a movie that had to do with drugs? yeah some movies he makes have people smoking but doesnt mean its weed, or crack, or anything like that :D.

Answer 4

No. There was some speculation that Carroll took laudanum, a common pain killer, but there's no evidence that he ever abused it.

It's just the product of an amazingly creative mind.

People who use drugs can find lots of images and metaphors that are drug-esque (the hookah, hallucination-like images, etc.).

Answer 5

Basically every time Alice ingests something her reality is altered in some drastic way. It's a bit suspicious at the very least.

Answer 6

No. It was about amusing a little girl named Alice. And Carroll just had this incredible imagination.

Answer 7

I suppose that's one of the ways it could be interpreted. Jefferson Airplane certainly did back in the Sixties with the song "White Rabbit."

Answer 8

Let me ask you a question. What did you think that over-sized catapiller was smoking? Not only was he smokeing, but he was sitting on mushrooms. Come-On, Put it togeather!

Answer 9

The whole thing is a huge acid trip!

I don't know if that was the original intention however.

Answer 10

Nobody really knows it just an over acttive writter