Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Overview of "Through The Looking Glass"

By Lewis Carroll

• About the Novel:- Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871) (also known as “Alice Through the Looking-Glass” or simply “Through the Looking-Glass”) is a novel by Lewis Carroll and the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Alice again enters a fantastical world, this time by climbing through a mirror into the world that she can see beyond it. There she finds that, just like a reflection, everything is reversed, including logic (running helps you remain stationary, walking away from something brings you towards it, chessmen are alive, nursery rhyme characters exist, etc). 

• About the Author:- Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English writer of world-famous children's fiction, notably Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass. He was noted for his facility at wordplay, logic, and fantasy.

Dramatic Personae

(as arranged before commencement of game)

                       White                                                              Red

   Pieces                         Pawns                         Pawns                    Pieces

Tweedledee                          Daisy                                    Daisy                     Humpty Dumpty

Unicorn                                 Haigha                                  Messenger            Carpenter

Sheep                                   Oyster                                   Oyster                   Walrus

White Queen                         "Lily"                                     Tiger-Lily               Red Queen

White King                            Fawn                                     Rose                     Red King

Aged Man                             Oyster                                   Oyster                   Crow

White Knight                         Hatta                                     Frog                      Red Knight

Tweedledum                         Daisy                                    Daisy                     Lion

Points, which are important to understand the Novel

• At first, one has to understand that it is a nonsensical novel, written in the Victorian Period. So if you judge this literature from a simple point of view, it will not be enough to understand the whole story.
• Lewis Carroll's era, I mean the Victorian Period is over-blooming by the technological improvement of science. So the imaginative mind of a normal human being is very much affected by the rules and regulations of society. So he wrote this piece to boost up the spiritual and innovative power of the new, upcoming generation.
• Unlike Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, here the main plot goes through into single-line narrative, and along with the story Carroll penetrated an overview among the readers about a chess game to make it a little more sensual and understandable (The Chess Game video is given after the Summary). 
• All happening in the Looking-Glass world is in reverse like if you walk left; you will reach the right side (and many more).
• Through the Looking-Glass includes such verses as “Jabberwocky” and “The Walrus and the Carpenter”, and the episode involving Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The mirror which inspired Carroll remains displayed in Carlton Kings.
• All the episodes of this novel, in a way or another, bring out some significance about the real world (The Total description of it, is at the end of the summary).

Here at the starting of the novel, the scene sets as Alice is playing in her room where the three cats are presented and now the narrative starts...

Chapter 1: Looking-Glass House

Dinah, the old cat was washing the black cat and that cat was playing with the worsted. Alice took the worsted and wraps it but the ball again falls into Kitty's hand and the Kitty undoes it again. Alice then points out 3 faults of Kitty and rebuked it. Then she said that she would throw it into the Looking-Glass world. The glass was upon the fireplace; as she jumped up on it and in an attempt to reach it, she went into that world. In that Looking-Glass world, everything seemed funny and alive. Then she watched chess pieces and helped the queen and king to reach the table. But by surprise, they didn't notice Alice. Next, she went to write a memorandum but finds a book nearby and read it. The book was all written backward so she placed it before the mirror and read it; It was a poem, "Jabberwocky". The poem is also a nonsensical one about a man with a Vorpal Sword, trying to kill a dragon-like creature named Jabberwocky. Then after finishing the poem, Alice made haste and went to the doors and opened it; found herself in the garden. 

Chapter Ends. 

Chapter 2: The Garden of Live Flowers

Alice went on to watch the garden next. But when she tried to reach the hill beside it, it was a corkscrew for that she couldn't be able to reach the hill; Again and again, she finds herself in front of her door! At last, when she did it, she found some speaking flowers there. The tiger-lily talked to her. Rose criticizes Alice so much that she hated it; for being judged. Though every flower has been shut down by tiger-lily, the badmouthing of Alice discloses. Then they told her that someone in this garden is like her. At the pick of time the Red Queen came. As it is a looking-glass world, by walking opposite, she was able to meet her. Queen gives descriptions of the fields and took Alice by hand and takes a flight. But surprisingly it exhausted Alice too much, though it didn't affect the Queen much. The valley which is now before them seemed to Alice, a board of chess; quite interesting indeed! After being well aware of the chess game, Alice herself wanted to take part in it as a pawn though she wants to be a queen first. Red Queen showed her the way - how is it to become a queen? and went ahead. Actually, the chess game already started where Alice herself is a pawn now. 

Chapter Ends_Red Queen moves to KR4(the chess game move - explained at the end).

Chapter 3: Looking-Glass Insects

Alice is making a survey as a traveler and far away she saw some bee-like creature. To reach it, she went opposite and hop on a train. There was a guard, on the train, who was collecting tickets for the passengers. He came to Alice and asked for a ticket, but she has none, and so the passengers are making remarks on her. On the train, a small voice whispers to her which seemed like a joke lover. When she looked, she found that it was an insect. Alice jumped off the train and reaches the fourth square. Alice came down and find herself under a tree; discovers the insect was a Gnat. They conversed about many insects and their shapes. And he asked Alice about the reason behind naming the insects. in front of her there was a wood where no one has a name, Gnat said. As Alice enters, she forgets all the names and also forgets her name. Entering the woods she finds a fawn; both were traveling together for a little while but when they exit the forest the fawn became aware of the human child as it names, it got scared and runs; It upset-ed Alice. Now she went on to the pointed place, where it is written "To Tweedledum's House" and "To the House of Tweedledee". She decided to went there and wants to ask them about the way out of the forest. She finds two-man, standing. 

Chapter Ends.

Chapter 4: Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Alice finds Tweedledum and Tweedledee as they seemed twins; their names were written on their callers. While watching them, Alice can't help reading the poem about them fighting, loud. For them introduction was first, so they told Alice to introduce herself by shaking hands. Reluctantly they did, but holding Alice's hand, they began to dance. When Alice asked them about the way out of the woods, they started the loony rhyme of "The Walrus and the Carpenter". After completing it, they made a judgment of the characters. In the woods, they heard a snore and discovered the Red King sleeping there; he was dreaming. When Alice was about to leave, they hold her and told her about the rattle and that became a quarrel between them. Then he brought from the woods many things for attires. They decided to fight over it till 6, as it was 4:30. Then they had dinner. It was getting dark first, they thought so and it seemed a black crow came actually, as it is this big. It flaps its wings then and creates a hurricane in the woods. And somebody's shawl is blown away in it.
Chapter Ends. 

    

Chapter 5: Wool and Water

The shawl was actually White Queen's. Alice caught the shawl and went to her and helped her to wore it as she seemed that she would need help. From the queen, Alice came to know that her memory works both ways; past and she can also able to watch the future. The memory works in a way that in the looking-glass, there is someone, the messenger of the king is being punished before he was proved guilty. Queen screams before, she pricked her later. Alice was wondering why Queen was not crying. Then Queen teaches Alice how she can neglect crying by considering many things; many unique things which are bound impossible. Then the shawl again flies away and the queen, crossing the brook, catches it. Alice also crossed the brook found herself in a shop, and the shopkeeper is an old sheep. Then she asked Alice what she wanted to buy without seeing the selves, but when she tried to reach it, the thing always drifted away leaving the catching selves empty. Taking the knotting needles with the old sheep, they find themselves in a boat. Feathering the Oars in the pond, they went on. Though Alice picked up scented rushes, those always lost their scent as soon as it is taken out of the waters. The handle of the oars hit her chin but wouldn't hurt her. All of a sudden, they all are back in the shop. Alice asked the price of the eggs and it is again odd as it is a Looking-glass world, the cost of two eggs is cheaper than one egg. Alice bought one egg but when she was attempting to grasp it, it drifted far away. And she went on following it.
Chapter Ends.

Chapter 6: Humpty Dumpty

However, the egg got bigger and bigger and it became Humpty Dumpty at last. While seeing it, Alice repeated to herself the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty and it catches his attention. She asks why he is sitting on a narrow wall, as he may fall from it and if so the king and horses will come and pick him up. He asked Alice's age and told them to leave it at 7 exactly. Here Humpty Dumpty uses this novel's only Murder Joke. Alice forgetfully remarked on his belt which was actually his cravat, and it infuriated him. Then he told that it was a present from White Queen and White King; an un-birthday present and gives Alice an explanation; how it is greater than a birthday present with nonsensical logic. Humpty Dumpty's use of words is rather interesting. As he can mean anything by something he had previously said. He made it clear how those words can mean separate things. As he can give these complex explanations, Alice asked him for the meaning of the poem, "Jabberwocky", and he gave so. As his greatness in poetry prevails, He himself began to recite the poetry of his own before Alice. It was quite an astonishing one and he ended it in such an unsatisfactory state that Alice herself was left unsatisfied by it. She heard at that moment of a heavy clash which is shaking the forest from end to end.  

Chapter 7: The Lion and the Unicorn

In the next moment, the soldiers are running through the woods. Alice found the king, close by, who was writing a memorandum. He sent those soldiers. Alice looked about the roads to find the messenger and found the Anglo-Saxon hare-like messenger. He brought the news about Lion and Unicorn's fighting; they went to the field where the Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the crown. Then they saw the White Queen running. Between their fights when they were stopping for their break, they seek food. And the plum cake was given to Alice to serve them both equally. But Alice wasn't able to cut it as it is a subject of the Looking-Glass world. At last with many tries, she was able to do it in their ways. When she is doing it, Lion is crying for a fair share. But at last, the drums began drumming. And it obliged them to leave the place. It was actually like the rhyme for drumming them out of the town.

Chapter Ends.

Chapter 8: It's My Own Invention

After a while, all noises got down and came the Red Knight and gave a check to White King (Follow the chess game) and to the king's rescue the White Knight came. Then they wanted to take Alice as a prisoner. Next, they fought, and the White one own at last. He was dressed in Armour. Everything he told about him, said that it was all his invention. He laid his box for a bee-hive or mice trap, took the dish of the plum-cake with them. He gives logic on how can the hair of Alice not come down. But he was not a good horse rider as he stumbles often. Whenever he is preaching, he falls off. Alice complimented that his helmet is like a horse. At a time he fell in a ditch. But still, he was preaching about his wondrous inventions and deeds. Seeing Alice sad, he began a long song, for him, it can be melancholic but it didn't make Alice shed a single tear; it was about a man on a gate. And how knight knew the way of his earning is an act of cleverness. At last, Knight left Alice near the brook and she crossed it and becomes the queen (by the rule of the chess game). A Golden Crown appears on her head now.

Chapter Ends.

Chapter 9: Queen Alice

It actually feels grand in the crown, Indeed! Red Queen and White Queen came by her side next. For Alice to become a queen, there ought to be a party and they were all invited to it. Both queens talk to Alice deciding many faults of her. Both in a sensual and nonsensical way. Red queen began a lullaby as White Queen is falling asleep and afterward herself falls asleep. And next to it when both are gone Alice went to the door, which is inscribed by "QUEEN ALICE". At first, it didn't welcome Alice; then a frog-like one came and kicked it open. Twice it calls Alice to join as she doesn't understand the first one. At last, she enters by the door and it is the party itself where food was talking on its own and making it quite difficult to attend it. In the pick of time, everything was becoming quite nonsensical palladium of madness, Alice couldn't be able to tolerate it and pulled the table cloth, caused the whole madness ends in a blink. And thus she gave checkmate the Red King (Concludes the chess game) who was throughout the story, sleeping. 

Chapter Ends.

Chapter 10: Shaking

After this Alice gets a hold of the Red Queen and Shook it hard; it began decreasing in size and its eyes are green now; softer and rounded also_

Onto the Next Chapter...

Chapter 11: Waking

And it is that small thing; which is no one other than the kitten itself.

Chapter Ends.

Chapter 12: Which Dreamed It?

At last, the dream broke, the kitten was the Red Queen all along and Snowdrop (the white cat) was the White Queen. So it was messy; she asked Dinah if she is Humpty Dumpty or not. As it all became clear, the final question rise, "which do you think it was?" _ Whose dream it is indeed?

(And it ends with a poem).

Let's Re-Read those Points, which we missed while considering it a nonsensical Literature Piece!

• In the dream Alice always wanted to be the Queen, according to Sigmund Freud, a child always dreams of becoming the supreme governess when he/she lacks parental attention their-selves.
• While on the First chapter, upon entering the looking-glass world, everything seemed opposite to our world. Here in the Victorian period when science is achieving its highest pick Lewis himself feels that the passions of humans are drifting apart at this point. So the dream world of mortal beings is becoming opposites according to the real world.
• Every object in the dream is speaking to its heart's content which proves to be an irony to the real world where everyone is bound to the new rules of modern science.
• In the first chapter, Alice was manipulating the pieces of the chessboard while being unnoticed. But from the next chapter without her proper conscience, Alice herself becomes a piece of the chess game. So I say it is the most beautiful satire of the modern society where the so-called society-controllers thought that they are manipulating the world but in reality, they didn't quite aware of the fact that we are all pieces of the chess game, called Fate!
• Third chapter Train Scene - Alice was treated severally because she was different from them. This sketches out the segregation in our society as a satire piece.
• The Scene Alice and the Fawn is quite famous because when they are in the forgot-able woods, they are at peace as it represents the garden of Eden and after knowing their names, they obtain knowledge so they drifted apart; symbolizing the fall from heaven of Adam and Eve.
• In the shopkeeper's scene when Alice was trying to get hold of the things; they are drifting away from her. It is used as Irony in how we are trying to chase our dreams but they are always out of our hands.
• In Tweedledum and Tweedledee's chapter, The Red King was sleeping and throughout the whole play he didn't wake up. So it is also a great satire as it represents modern society's greatest problem showing the main instructor of our society is still inactive where his role is to lead us.
• The Walrus and the Carpenter's poem symbolizes the provoking of the politicians who always provoke us by saying sugar-quoted development but once they are elected; their provoking always proved wrong.
• The Lion and the Unicorn's Fight both were fighting but didn't achieve the prize and all around everyone is enjoying their fights. In our society, it is always the same case; two diplomatic orators fought before the audience but the final remedy never gets out from them.
• In "It's my own invention" the White Knight was always saying that everything is his own creation. It is used in this novel by Carroll as an Irony as Humans always wanted to take credits for the works which aren't actually done by them.
• Alice becomes the Queen, at last, if we actually see the chess game which is actually happening behind, we will find that the game is played wrong overlooking the true rules of chess. But Alice actually becomes the Queen. So here Lewis gave us the real message about success. If you actually wanna find true success, you have to come out of the social norms and then you will find true achievement.
• The Final question always remained there "Whose dream it is actually?" _ Yes it can be mine; it can be yours; it can be anyone. We have the right to dream. So we will dream as we wish.
• But alas the whole plot is in dreams. So we are still dreaming, the true social progress will come; not by only technological developments; but by the true awakening of Human souls.
• In the chapter, "It's My Own Invention": the White Knight is actually a portrayal of the author. If you notice then; not a single character in the looking glass world is nice to Alice, except the White Knight, the Author. (Taken from the first Comment, Chatterjee)
• All the characters talk in riddles because it is a child's perspective to the adult world where everything is an enigma. Also towards the eighth block, the White Knight left Alice as it symbolizes that she must face adulthood, her achievements of life, all by herself and even the author cannot help her in this matter. (Taken from the first Comment, Chatterjee)

At Last the Whole Video of the Chess Game

It ends here, don't miss the easter-eggs after the summary, and never forget to leave any comments on the comment section. It is worth my every effort to be judged! Thank You.