ENG2614 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE 17 JULY 2026
Question 1
Read the extract from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll
and then respond to the assignment brief following it in an essay format:
Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end! “I wonder how
many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud. “I must be getting somewhere
near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down,
The Art of Falling: Narrative and Stylistic Techniques in Lewis Carroll's Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland remains one of the most celebrated
works of children's literature, largely because of how the author uses clever writing
techniques to create a world that is both strange and believable. The extract where
Alice falls down the rabbit hole shows Carroll's skill as a writer. He uses narrative
techniques like characterisation, setting, and point of view, along with stylistic elements
such as humour, diction, and wordplay, to draw readers into Alice's strange adventure.
These techniques work together to show us what it feels like to be a child trying to make
sense of a confusing world. And considerinh how Carroll uses these literary tools to
create meaning and shape our understanding of the story.
,Narrative Techniques
Characterisation
Carroll's characterisation of Alice is a key narrative technique that helps readers
connect with her. According to Reynolds (2011:15), the 19th century produced many
memorable child characters, and Alice is one of the most important. Carroll presents
Alice as a typical Victorian child who has learned facts at school but does not always
understand them. She says, "I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth.
Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think" (Carroll, 1865). This shows
she has memorised information from her lessons, but she does not really know what it
means. She even admits she has "no idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but
thought they were nice grand words to say."
This characterisation makes Alice feel real and relatable. She is not a perfect child but
someone who tries to appear clever even when she is unsure. As the study guide
explains, characters in children's literature should be "identifiable and relatable by the
child as they are of a similar age or experience similar problems" (ENG2614 Study
Guide, Unit 4). Alice fits this description perfectly. She talks to herself, makes mistakes,
and struggles to understand the world around her. Her honesty about not knowing
things makes her endearing rather than foolish. For example, when she mentions "The
Antipathies" instead of "Antipodes," she is glad no one is listening because "it didn't
sound at all the right word." This moment of self-awareness shows us Alice's character:
she wants to appear knowledgeable but is also aware of her limitations.
, Setting
The setting of the rabbit hole is another important narrative technique. Carroll creates a
setting that is both simple and strange. The hole is dark and seems to go on forever,
with Alice falling "down, down, down" until she wonders if she will "fall right through the
earth." This setting is not described in great detail, but it creates a sense of wonder and
uncertainty. The hole represents the unknown, and Alice's fall symbolises her journey
into a world where normal rules do not apply.
As Horning (2010:29) points out in From Cover to Cover, the setting in children's
literature can function as a backdrop or be essential to the story. In this extract, the
rabbit hole is not just a background; it is central to the adventure. The fall itself takes up
most of the passage, and Alice's thoughts during this time reveal her character and
prepare us for the strange world she is about to enter. The fact that she has time to
think about so many things during her fall shows that time and space work differently in
Wonderland. This setting also creates a feeling of suspense because we never know
when the fall will end or what Alice will find at the bottom. The repeated line "Down,
down, down" emphasises how long the fall seems and builds tension for the reader.
Point of View
Carroll uses a third-person point of view that stays very close to Alice's thoughts and
feelings. The narrative voice often disappears, letting us hear Alice's inner thoughts
directly. For example, we read what Alice says aloud and what she thinks to herself, like
when she wonders "Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?" and sometimes "Do bats eat
cats?" This close point of view helps readers see the world through Alice's eyes.
According to the ENG2614 Study Guide (Unit 2), point of view in children's literature
"tells us whether the characters are speaking to us about the story or whether a narrator
DUE 17 JULY 2026
Question 1
Read the extract from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll
and then respond to the assignment brief following it in an essay format:
Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end! “I wonder how
many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud. “I must be getting somewhere
near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down,
The Art of Falling: Narrative and Stylistic Techniques in Lewis Carroll's Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland remains one of the most celebrated
works of children's literature, largely because of how the author uses clever writing
techniques to create a world that is both strange and believable. The extract where
Alice falls down the rabbit hole shows Carroll's skill as a writer. He uses narrative
techniques like characterisation, setting, and point of view, along with stylistic elements
such as humour, diction, and wordplay, to draw readers into Alice's strange adventure.
These techniques work together to show us what it feels like to be a child trying to make
sense of a confusing world. And considerinh how Carroll uses these literary tools to
create meaning and shape our understanding of the story.
,Narrative Techniques
Characterisation
Carroll's characterisation of Alice is a key narrative technique that helps readers
connect with her. According to Reynolds (2011:15), the 19th century produced many
memorable child characters, and Alice is one of the most important. Carroll presents
Alice as a typical Victorian child who has learned facts at school but does not always
understand them. She says, "I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth.
Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think" (Carroll, 1865). This shows
she has memorised information from her lessons, but she does not really know what it
means. She even admits she has "no idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but
thought they were nice grand words to say."
This characterisation makes Alice feel real and relatable. She is not a perfect child but
someone who tries to appear clever even when she is unsure. As the study guide
explains, characters in children's literature should be "identifiable and relatable by the
child as they are of a similar age or experience similar problems" (ENG2614 Study
Guide, Unit 4). Alice fits this description perfectly. She talks to herself, makes mistakes,
and struggles to understand the world around her. Her honesty about not knowing
things makes her endearing rather than foolish. For example, when she mentions "The
Antipathies" instead of "Antipodes," she is glad no one is listening because "it didn't
sound at all the right word." This moment of self-awareness shows us Alice's character:
she wants to appear knowledgeable but is also aware of her limitations.
, Setting
The setting of the rabbit hole is another important narrative technique. Carroll creates a
setting that is both simple and strange. The hole is dark and seems to go on forever,
with Alice falling "down, down, down" until she wonders if she will "fall right through the
earth." This setting is not described in great detail, but it creates a sense of wonder and
uncertainty. The hole represents the unknown, and Alice's fall symbolises her journey
into a world where normal rules do not apply.
As Horning (2010:29) points out in From Cover to Cover, the setting in children's
literature can function as a backdrop or be essential to the story. In this extract, the
rabbit hole is not just a background; it is central to the adventure. The fall itself takes up
most of the passage, and Alice's thoughts during this time reveal her character and
prepare us for the strange world she is about to enter. The fact that she has time to
think about so many things during her fall shows that time and space work differently in
Wonderland. This setting also creates a feeling of suspense because we never know
when the fall will end or what Alice will find at the bottom. The repeated line "Down,
down, down" emphasises how long the fall seems and builds tension for the reader.
Point of View
Carroll uses a third-person point of view that stays very close to Alice's thoughts and
feelings. The narrative voice often disappears, letting us hear Alice's inner thoughts
directly. For example, we read what Alice says aloud and what she thinks to herself, like
when she wonders "Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?" and sometimes "Do bats eat
cats?" This close point of view helps readers see the world through Alice's eyes.
According to the ENG2614 Study Guide (Unit 2), point of view in children's literature
"tells us whether the characters are speaking to us about the story or whether a narrator
