This English Literature undergraduate dissertation will analyse three adaptations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to explore how different mediums can translate key components of the original text to ensure that they are still recognisably Alice. From this, the work will then determine why Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland continues to be adapted. The three adaptations chosen to do this are: Tim Burton’s film Alice in Wonderland, Jeff Noon’s book Automated Alice and Christopher Wheeldon’s Ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, all of which will be analysed against Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Three key themes of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have been chosen to explore how the adaptations display Alice, but also their own creativity. These themes are playfulness, Alice’s characterisation and madness. Adaptation theory will be the main theory used throughout, however other relevant secondary criticism will also be introduced when appropriate.
The conclusion will surmise how, due to the width and depth of the themes in the original, adaptors return to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland due to the scope for creativity and desire for resolution that can be found in it. It will also state how Lewis Carroll’s own personal feelings towards young girls creates conflict in the story, i.e. the necessity of growing up versus the desire for this not to occur. Furthermore, it will show how the themes discussed argue the delight of childhood and the need for childishness in the formation of Wonderland and the character of Alice to prolong his attachment to Alice Liddel
