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Texas ISD School Guide
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Short Stories for Teachers

Top 10 Quotes From Alice in Wonderland With the Explanations
By:Tuula Olin

Alice in Wonderland is a tale from Lewis Carroll who wrote it in 1864. The story has been such a huge success ever since and many movies and plays have been made based on it. This fairytale continues to have a great fan base. Its popularity is only increasing with big Hollywood directors and stars making yet another adaptation of the story. This time it will be directed by Tim Burton and Johnny Depp will be the outrageous character called the Mad Hatter.
The conversations between the incredible characters, which include people, animals and playing cards, are eccentric and funny. Some of their phrases have become extremely famous, some of them are considered absurd and some are clearly making fun of the Victorian era.

Here are the top 10 quotes with explanations where in the story they appear. They are in descending order beginning from number 10 and going to number one, the most famous quote of all.

Number 10 spot is given to Eaglet:

Alice and many animals and birds along with a Duck, Dodo, Lory and Eaglet swam from a lake that was actually a pool of Alice's tears. While at the shore they were discussing how to get dry. Dodo was talking in business terms about adjourning the meeting and adopting more energetic remedies. To this Eaglet called out this quoted sentence:

"Speak English! I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and I don't believe you do either!" -Eaglet

Number 9 is a quote from Alice herself.

This takes place during the court scene. Alice argues with the Queen of Hearts about the order of a verdict and a sentence, and then Alice realizes that she is her normal size again and does not need to care what the Queen says. This is why she yells out:

"You're nothing but a pack of cards!" -Alice

Number 8 is from the Duchess during the game of croquet after she is released from prison to take part in the game. Alice is quietly thinking about how pepper and other spices affect people.

The Duchess is trying to remember what kind of a moral there is in thinking and not speaking. Alice thinks that there is no moral in it. Therefore the Duchess teaches Alice that:

"Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it." -The Duchess

Number 7 is a quote from the Mock Turtle. He, the Gryphon and Alice are at the sea shore. Alice tells them about her adventures of the day and how she was repeating a poem to the Caterpillar and how the words came out all wrong. The Gryphon is very interested and asks Alice to repeat a poem called "'TIS THE VOICE OF THE SLUGGARD"'. Of course the words come out all different again. This is what the Mock Turtle calls it:

"Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense." -The Mock Turtle

At number 6 is a quote from the White Rabbit. Alice follows the White Rabbit into the rabbit hole and finds herself in a long corridor. She sees the White Rabbit hurrying down the passage. Alice sprints after him just in time to hear the White Rabbit say:

"Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!" -White Rabbit

This quote is actually made very famous by Disney Films. They adapted the quote into a song by White Rabbit: "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!"

Number 5 place is given to a famous quote from the Queen of Hearts. She uses this expression quite often in the story. One time is when Alice meets the Queen for the first time. After Alice has introduced herself, the Queen asks her about the three playing card gardeners lying on the ground. But because Alice does not know them and expresses that to the Queen quite casually, the Queen of Hearts gets furious and screams to Alice:

"Off with her head!" -Queen of Hearts

At number 4 is a quote from the King of Hearts. This happens at the hearing in court while the King asks the White Rabbit to read a set of verses in a letter, written by the prisoner to somebody. The White Rabbit does not know where to begin.

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop." -The King

On the third spot is quite an odd question by the Mad Hatter.

Alice is at the March Hare's house and the Mad Hatter is there with Dormouse as well. They are having a tea party. The March Hare and Alice get into an argument about Alice's right to join the tea party. Then the Mad Hatter makes Alice even more furious by telling her she needs a haircut. Of course Alice declares that to be rude, but the Mad Hatter answers her with a riddle:

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" -The Mad Hatter

Here we are, getting closer to the best quotes of them all. At number 2 position is a short and famous exclamation from Alice.

Alice eats a cake and expects something peculiar to happen to her. And finally her neck grows and grows so much that in the end she does not even see her own feet. Alice is so surprised that for a moment she forgets to speak good English and cries out:

"Curiouser and curiouser." -Alice

Finally, number one, the most famous Alice in Wonderland quote.

This quote comes from a conversation between Cheshire Cat and Alice. The grinning Cheshire Cat is giving directions to Alice and tells what sort of people live in each direction in the woods.

Then he discloses as a matter of fact that:

"We're all mad here." -Cheshire Cat

Tuula Olin is a writer and digital publisher.
See the Top 10 Alice in Wonderland Quotes here http://www.alice-in-wonderland-quotes.com/.

If you want to have your say about the order or add another quote to the Top 10 Alice Quotes please visit my Squidoo page http://www.squidoo.com/Top10-Alice-in-Wonderland-Quotes.






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