Alice in Wonderland (2010 film) Essay Questions

How does Alice get the vorpal sword?

The vorpal sword is hidden away in the Bandersnatch's den. The Bandersnatch is a large and terrifying creature used by the Red Queen and the Knave of Hearts to destroy their enemies, and he has already hurt Alice before. Using her wit, Alice befriends the Bandersnatch by returning his missing eye to him, previously plucked out by the dormouse. After she is kind to the Bandernsatch, he becomes loyal to her and helps her. This goes to show that Alice's kind treatment of animals serves her purpose and allows her to succeed.

What does Alice learn in Wonderland?

Throughout the course of her visit to Wonderland, Alice gains some confidence and begins to have more faith in her ability to do the impossible. When she first arrives, she is certain that she will not be able to slay the Jabberwocky and save the land, but by the end, she realizes that she has the power to achieve the unthinkable. With this newly harnessed confidence, Alice returns to the "real world" with a new assurance, and is grounded by the courage of her own convictions. She declines an unwanted proposal and starts a new lucrative business venture, all in an afternoon.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

The Mad Hatter asks this riddle many times throughout the film, but never provides an answer. At the end, Alice cannot take it any longer and asks him to answer his own question, but he has no idea. We have seen the Hatter exhibit some excellent judgment throughout the film, and we are beginning to wonder if he's saner than he lets on. However, he has no answer to the question about the raven and the writing desk, confirming that he is more than a little bit nutty.

What sets Alice apart from her peers in Victorian England?

As a little girl, Alice asks her father if she is mad, and he tells her she is, but that "all the best people are." 13 years later, we see that she has taken that philosophy to heart and is resistant to playing by the rules of upstanding society. She sees many of her peers, especially the neurotic Hamish, as being stifled by their own adherence to the rules. Alice is more of a misfit, eschewing stockings and a corset and entertaining wild ideas whenever she can. Her creativity sets her apart and makes her special, but it also alienates her from her community.

What are the recognizable features of the film that distinguish it as a Tim Burton film?

One of the most easily recognizable Tim Burton signatures is his casting. It is usually a fair bet that when you see Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter together in a film playing eccentric characters, you are watching a Tim Burton film. Additionally, however, the visual style, at once whimsical and macabre, establishes Alice in Wonderland as a Tim Burton confection. There is always something at once magical but also a little dark or off about a Tim Burton film, and Alice in Wonderland has that. The forest of Wonderland is filled with curvaceous branches, the Red Queen's castle is a Gothic maze, and the image of the white knights and the red knight meeting one another on the battlefield is at once Medieval and futuristic/dystopian.