Alice In Wonderland The Walrus

Katharine Graham

2 min read

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30-11-2024

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Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is filled with memorable characters, but few are as enigmatic and unsettling as the Walrus and the Carpenter. Their seemingly innocuous oyster-eating scene is actually a darkly comedic commentary on greed, manipulation, and the complexities of morality. This post delves deeper into their significance within the story.

A Seemingly Simple Scene

The Walrus and the Carpenter's encounter with the oysters is deceptively simple on the surface. They stroll along the beach, discover a group of oysters, and proceed to indulge in a feast, all while delivering a seemingly mournful ballad. The Walrus’s pronouncements of sympathy are starkly contrasted by his voracious appetite and the Carpenter's complicit silence.

The Ballad's Significance

The ballad itself acts as a subtle foreshadowing of the events to come. The Walrus’s seemingly empathetic words – “The time has come,” the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—Of cabbages—and kings—And why the sea is boiling hot—And whether pigs have wings.” – are juxtaposed with the relentless consumption of the oysters. This contrast highlights the hypocrisy at the heart of the scene, mirroring the often deceptive nature of societal structures and power dynamics.

Beyond the Surface: Interpretation

The scene is rich in symbolic interpretation. Several scholars posit that the Walrus and Carpenter represent different aspects of Victorian society, with the Walrus embodying a manipulative figure exploiting the vulnerable (the oysters), and the Carpenter representing the passive complicity of those who witness such exploitation but choose not to intervene. The oysters themselves can be viewed as representing the innocent and defenseless, easily manipulated and consumed by those in power.

Others see a more nuanced approach. The Walrus and Carpenter could embody different facets of human nature – the Walrus's emotional manipulation, and the Carpenter's quiet acquiescence. Their actions highlight the complexities of morality, the blurry lines between compassion and cruelty, and the ease with which individuals can justify their actions, regardless of the consequences.

A Lasting Impression

The Walrus and the Carpenter's lasting impact stems from their ambiguity. They aren't outright villains, but their actions are undeniably morally questionable. This lack of clear-cut morality mirrors the complexities and uncertainties that Alice encounters throughout her journey. Their scene serves as a stark reminder that appearances can be deceiving and that a closer examination is needed to understand the true nature of things. It’s a darkly humorous allegory that continues to resonate with readers and invites continued interpretation and discussion.