Childhood Contradictions :: Free Essays Online

Childhood Contradictions 1. Memories from my childhood are scarce and cloudy at best. Everything is perverted and it always seems like alwaysyone is bigger than you, in more ways than one. From what I do remember, a major player in my development as a child was the overwhelming feeling of confusion. More times than not, I was confused by at least one of m whatever things (authority, my proclaim identity, physical, mental and emotional changes, etc). A childs confusion is due to the massive series of contradictions that is childhood itself. In Lewis Carrolls novels Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass , the moment of childhood and what it is to be a child and literally live in a childs world takes on an entirely different meaning than ever before. Similarly, the computer game based on the novels, Ameri scum bag McGees Alice , fall flats an interesting post on the image of childhood and the struggle to maturity. 2. The slew of contradictions in both of Lewis novels is something that cannot be ignored, even by the most rudimentary of readers. The entire concept of the novels themselves is providing text which, in all honesty, seems to be complete nonsensical and providing that nonsense with sense . This theory of sense from nonsense is clearly developed in Chapter 2 of Through the Looking Glass . In this chapter, titled The garden of Live Flowers, Alice remarks to the flowers, Arent you sometimes frightened at being planted stunned(p) here, with nobody to take care of you? (Gray 121). In response to this remark, the Rose points out that theres the tree in the middle (Gray 122) as if that is supposed to give any sort of rational explanation for their feeling of security. When Alice asks what sort of protection a tree could provide, the Rose tells her that if any danger comes along the tree can bark. Now, this is an entirely ridiculous concept to begin with. The idea of inanimate objects having the capability to produce sound is compl ete nonsense to any rational person. However, the flowers give the trees ability to bark and their ability to talk seemingly rational explanations. check to the Daisy, the tree says Bough-Wough Thats why branches are called boughs (Gray 122). In response to the question virtually the flowers proficiency at language, the Rose tells Alice that in most gardens, they make the pick outs alike soft - so that the flowers are always asleep (Gray 122) and their flower bed is noticeably hard by comparison.