An Analysis of Satire and Schema in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Abstract

This paper adopts a stylistic approach, drawing on schema theory, to unravel Lewis Carroll’s use of characters and parodies as instruments of satire aimed at adult society. Carroll subverts readers’ schemata by infusing creatures in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with behaviors and language incongruent with conventional norms. Satire happens when schema is challenged or disrupted. Examining the alignment and subversion of readers’ schemata regarding adult behavior in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, this paper intends to provide examples of interplay between schema theory and literary satire in Carroll’s iconic work. It will thus contribute to our understanding of the cultural significance and Carroll’s satirical views embedded in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.