Discuss the use of symbolism for a satirical purpose in a particular episode of Alice in Wonderland - Essay Example

It has also been interpreted in a sociological, psychological, political approach as well as has been looked upon as a nonsense fiction. Im very much afraid I didnt mean anything but nonsense. Still, you know, words mean more than we mean to express when we use them; so a whole book ought to mean a great deal more than the writer means. So, whatever good meanings are in the book, Im glad to accept as the meaning of the book Being a rich resource of interpretation, the book poses as a source of symbols as well.

They are satirical of various things. This paper looks into the use of symbolism for the purpose of satire in the specific episode, ‘The Hatter’s Mad Tea Party’, which is one of the famous scenes in the story. Carroll shows the expertise at the use of irony and puns throughout the story, especially in the Mad Tea Party. It has a list of characters that seem to be character types caught with behavioral traits. Alice is a participant, observer and commentator all at the same time. This episode particularly has interested political satirists in the past as well as in the modern era.

Firstly, the scene of the tea party evokes pictures of typical Victorian tea parties, one of their signature social manners. It also is symbolic of tea parties over which leaders, kings and queens meet and sign significant treaties or decide the turn of events. But, the story has no special characters in the scene except for the Hatter, who sounds as enthusiastic as he gets into rhetoric on and off, and the rest are the mad Hare and a sleepy Dormouse. This is ironical of political meetings and negotiations that put on an appearance of seriousness but are quite meaningless, as the scene turns the sober parties into a mockery.

The scene has tea laid out on a long table in the open with three queer characters seated together at one end, literally crushed into each other, when Alice enters and finds plenty of room for a stranger to occupy the seat.