is the book Alice in Wonderland really about drugs?

Answer 1

Who really knows

Answer 2

Alright, anything may be possible, but probable is what needs to be looked at. Specifically because Dodgson was a mathematician, a very successful one at that. The alteration of states in the book (most specifically size) are most likely a study of human perception on a situation, the analyzation of situations from different points of views...probably a release from the strict rules of mathematics...look at the Jabberwocky poem as an example, though the words are portmanteau we still are able to undestand the underlying meaning, we are given no perspective or basis for meaning, yet the meaning is strongly inferred by our own personal relationship to sound. The other side is the story was written for a child, never with the intention of it becoming a widely read books, and just think of the stories we make up for children: the are generally filled with magical and surreal situations, which we associate in the modern world with altered states by means of drugs, but the imagination in and of itself generates a greater series of alterations just by general perception, no two people have the same perception of a particular situation, and when we are able to clearly change our view, it is fair to say that our state of mind becomes altered, without drug use. To say "Alice" is about drugs invokes the intentional fallacy to the utmost degree, it imposes a modern worlds perception of perception on a Victorian mindset that would have very little understanding of contemporary drug use.

Answer 3

Your question is specific to the "book" Alice in Wonderland, but I think it's easy to show that the movie is riddled with drug references, and then discuss the book (and the author) from there.

Certainly there were many drug references in the Alice in Wonderland animated Disney movie. Disney Studios advertised it in 1974 to appeal to drug users. "Alice ingests potions, wafers and mushrooms that change her size or alter her consciousness, her perspective constantly changes, she loses track of time, space and her own identity. There's the hookah-smoking caterpillar. In fact, the entire story, a dream framed by the 'real world,' might be seen as a hallucination or trip." Notable, however, is that "...all the plot aspects of Alice in Wonderland that "suggest drugs" were present in Lewis Carroll's original work; Disney merely adapted them for the screen." http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/drugs.htm

Therefore, we may now turn to look at the author Lewis Carroll, for possible drug use:

"There has been much speculation that Dodgson used drugs, however there is no direct evidence that he ever did. It is true that the most common painkiller of the time—laudanum—was in fact a tincture of opium and could produce a 'high' if used in a large enough dose. Most historians can infer Dodgson probably used it from time to time since it was the standard domestic painkiller of its day and was to be found in numerous patent medicines of the time, but there is no evidence he ever abused it or that its effects had any impact on his work. The rumour that he smoked cannabis is entirely without any foundation in any known fact. However many people regard Alice's hallucinations in the Wonderland, when surrounded by teas, mushrooms and smoking insects, as references to psychedelic substances." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carroll

Generally speaking, Lewis Carroll probably did not have extensive first hand knowledge of drug abuse; however, it's plain to see that there were plenty of drug references in the book. The book is not really about drugs, but does include references to drugs in a commentary about life, time, current events (in the 1800s, when it was written) and children.

Answer 4

In my Chemistry class we watched Alice in Wonderland as an example of quantum chemistry. I am sure that the author might have been on drugs when he wrote it though.

Answer 5

Well, the caterpillar smokes a hookah, we all know what that represents.

And the mad hatter: in the times when Carroll wrote the book, there was a chemical being put into beaver pelts to help stiffen them to make hats that was making people go nuts.

Don't know if this qualifies as 'drugs' because the people weren't using it pruposely, but there you go.

Answer 6

Lewis Carroll wrote about coming up with the story while out boating with his neice Alice. I have never seen anything where he specifically stated he was influenced by drugs, but anything is possible and people will interpret literature anyway they want.

Answer 7

OMG yes. In the original cartoon (I don't know if it's been deleted in the digitally remastered version) the damn cat is hitting a bong!!
She drinks some stuff (probably laced with PCP) and has vivid hallucinations about a land that exists through a mirror!
Come on....seriously, how could anyone come up with that stuff unless they were on drugs.

Answer 8

no. who ever told you that dosnt know what theyre talking about. its about a girl who falls asleap and has a wierd dream thats all no drugs. many people have had a dream about that to and they are not on drugs. so no it is not about drugs.

Answer 9

i dont think this story has any reference to drugs.i have grown up reading this story and i dont think there is any reference

Answer 10

have you ever read it?