ALICE IN WONDERLAND YA BOOK CLUB – CHAPTER 5

Alice in Wonderland
Chapter 5: Advice from a Caterpillar
Written by Rose

Summary
The caterpillar asks Alice who she is but she cannot explain. He asks her to recite a poem and she does so in the wrong way. Alice wants to grow and the caterpillar asks her preferred size. The caterpillar tells Alice which side of the mushroom will alter her size. She breaks off a piece of either to taste. Her neck begins to grow away from her body.

A pigeon calls her a serpent. Alice tries to speak with him but it doesn’t work. She eats more mushroom bits and brings herself back to her correct size.

Read the rest of Alice in Wonderland chapter summary and join us for discussions on the forum.

Questions:

Why does the caterpillar make Alice recite a poem? Do you think the poem had any particular meaning?

Why are there so many references to ‘William’?

Why do you think eating certain items only effect certain parts of Alice as oppose to simply growing or shrinking her?

Did you find any hidden meanings in this chapter?

One cannot grow shorter…did any one else find that quote by the caterpillar odd? Or was it just the author’s way of writing?

So from what the pigeon said, Alice is not the first little girl to stumble across this crazy land.  Do you think others have come down the hole? Or do you think he was mentioning the little girls who already reside there?

What items did you want to discus or find curious?

What are your favorite quotes in this chapter?