Alice In Wonderland and drugs??

Question

Is it true that Alice In Wonderland is based off of drugs? And if it's true, what do things like the White Rabbit symbolize?
PLEASE NO MEAN ANSWERS.

Thank all of you!!

Typo: I meant to say thanks, all of you for answering!!

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.

More info about the origins of a.o. the White Rabbit can be found here: http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/alice5.html

Answer 2

The only thing I know about the motivations behind Alice in Wonderland is that Lewis Carrol was a pedophile in love with his very young neighbor girl, on whom the character Alice is based. Beyond that, the time period is about right for him to have been on drugs (opium, absinthe, etc.), and most writers of the era were. Aside from the obvious stuff, like the mushrooms and the smoking caterpillar, the rest (if it is all a loosely veiled drug reference) could be just the results of a really bad trip.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if it's based on drugs... but the catapillar does smoke a hookah, which is weed/drugs. And they ate shrooms. And I'm pretty sure the chesire cat was on something lol.

Answer 4

No, that's actually just a rumor. They say that Lewis Carroll was on LSD, but they didn't even have that then. It's just a creative kids story, but it is full of symbolism for its time period. The white rabbit is a symbol of the Victorian era in a way because it was considered ungodly rude to be late then, hence the "I'm late, i'm late..."

Answer 5

That movie looks like it. Freaked me out when i was little and it still does i hate that movie. Its probably based off of what happens if you take acid/lsd because that makes you hallucinate. A white rabbit might be good because white represents innocence and who doesn't like a bunny?

Answer 6

It is true. The drug is not LSD. It is amanita muscaria mushrooms. The book describes the psychedelic experience.

Answer 7

I doubt there is any drug based materials in that movie that is specifically made for children to view. However, maybe adolescent people would think that there are plenty of drug-based content in the film. Chris Brown is sexy.

Answer 8

I`ve always heard that the writer was on acid & that there`s refferance made about drugs all throughout the story. don`t know if it`s true, but it seems feasible.

Answer 9

i personally refuse to believe it. i am obsessed with alice in wonderland to the point of getting to rather large tattoos

Answer 10

No its not. The book was written way beore the drug induced song and book era of the 60's