Absolem's Transformation (Symbol)
As Alice begins to accept her role as the champion for the White Queen who must slay the Jabberwocky on behalf of the kingdom, Absolem the caterpillar begins to roll himself up into a cocoon. Alice becomes concerned that he is disappearing and will no longer be able to guide her, as he has been one of her most important advisors in the film. He tells her that he is undergoing a transformation, turning from a caterpillar into a butterfly. His transition from stationary caterpillar to winged butterfly is a symbolic parallel for Alice's own journey of self-transformation. At the end of the film, when Alice has taken control of her own destiny, boarding a ship to travel to China to stake out a new trade route, Absolem, now a blue butterfly, lands on her shoulder, and we see that both of them have undergone a transformation to become more fully realized and self-assured versions of themselves.
Rabbit Hole (Symbol)
When Alice follows the white rabbit away from the garden party and ends up falling down his rabbit hole, this is a symbol for her leaving the rational structures of the real world and entering a wilder and more fantastical realm. The rabbit hole is a symbol for Alice's imagination, her sense of the impossible being possible. The rabbit hole is not a standard rabbit hole, but a cavernously long hole filled with furniture, pianos, and other improbable features. From the moment we see Alice falling down the hole, we know that it represents a passage into a less-than-realistic realm.
Why is a Raven Like a Writing Desk (Motif)
Throughout the film, the Mad Hatter asks Alice the question, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" She never answers, and he himself never answers his own riddle. We are led to believe that it must have an answer, but when Alice levels his own riddle at him at the end, the Mad Hatter tells her that he has no idea. This question serves as a kind of motif, and represents the fact that the Mad Hatter is, in fact, mad, spouting nonsense and meaningless questions.
Eye (Symbol)
The dormouse plucks out the Bandersnatch's eye to help Alice escape early on in her time in Wonderland. Later, to gain favor with the beast, Alice gives the Bandersnatch its eye back and it is friendlier to her, allowing her to take the vorpal sword and even taking her as a passenger on its back. Alice giving the Bandersnatch its eye back is a symbol of her kindness towards animals, and represents a truce and alliance between the two unlikely companions.
Slaying the Jabberwocky (Allegory)
Alice is told from the first moment she arrives in Wonderland that she is destined to slay the beastly Jabberwocky, a giant fire-breathing dragon-like creature. She is unconvinced, and assumes that they must have the wrong Alice. As the film progresses, however, Alice begins to gain some courage and sense of self. By the time she gets to the battleground, brandishing the vorpal sword and wearing armor, she is finally ready to fulfill her destiny, even if she still has her doubts. In the course of a difficult battle with the Jabberwocky, Alice manages to get the upper hand and behead the beast. This slaying, the fulfillment of the prophecy that returns the crown to its rightful owner, the White Queen, is an allegory for Alice taking responsibility for her own power, fulfilling her destiny, and self-actualizing.
