Why Do We Love Alice in Wonderland?

What is it about Alice in Wonderland that grabs our attention again and again? Is it the trippy visuals we’ve come to associate with the property introduced in Disney’s animated feature? Is it the name itself that draws our attention to it? Well let’s look at just how much it’s influenced.

Visually, it’s produced a LOT of art and art styles of the fantastical sort. Whether it’s a painting of large mushrooms in a field or an electronic dance festival, the imagery in the book (and even Disney) has an everlasting impression on artists. Even the name “Wonderland” produces images in your head that is stuck in your imagination. It’s never obtainable and always larger than life. Hell, go on DeviantArt and search Wonderland. You’ll see the range of just how inspiring the place can be.

It’s influenced a lot more than art, too. Some of our favorite series have been inspired by the book. Batman villains like Mad Hatter. Or Watchmen even referencing the looking glass. There are countless books, animations, comics, films and more, that have been inspired by the books by Lewis Carroll. There is media still being released today that has been influenced by it. And while it may not be understood well in the nonsense of the book, the feel of Wonderland is still there.

We need to talk about the merchandise that’s spawned from it and its many iterations. Clothing, figures, posters and games, you know it! And speaking specifically of the clothing, it’s a staple at places like Hot Topic. Something about the way Wonderland is an escape from the normal everyday has spoken to a lot of teens and adults. And they feel the need to share it by wearing the influenced clothing. But in all honesty, it’s probably because they think Cheshire Cat is too cool for us all.

But I think that’s what people are most drawn to from Alice in Wonderland. It’s not just the characters, nor the place itself. It’s where our place is among all of it. What a regular person such as ourselves would do in such the land, given the chance. And Alice is our way into it. She’s just a regular girl, nothing special about her. But she enters the land and has a life changing experience. While it’s never known if it’s in her head or an actual place you can visit, there’s always the imagination.