Alice's Longing for Home

Throughout her adventures, Alice frequently thinks of her cat Dinah, her sister, and the comforts of home, expressing a deep emotional need for safety and familiarity.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Missing Dinah

Thoughts of a Beloved Cat Dinah's Absence As Alice falls, she talks to herself about Dinah, her cat. She imagines Dinah missing her and hopes she will remember to give her milk at tea-time. She wishes Dinah were with her to catch the bats, which she considers similar to mice. This early mention of Dinah establishes Alice's emotional anchor in the world above. The Cat and Bat Riddle Alice's sleepy musing about whether cats eat bats or bats eat cats is a childlike attempt to connect her familiar world with the strange new one. The thought of Dinah is a comfort in the darkness of the fall. The fall itself is a separation from home, and Dinah represents the bond she has left behind.

Tears of Loneliness

A Lonely Child The Pool of Tears Alice's tears, which form the pool, are a direct expression of her loneliness. She cries because she cannot reach the key, but also because she feels isolated and confused. She scolds herself for crying, but the tears flow anyway. The pool becomes a physical manifestation of her emotional state. The Longing for Companionship Alice wishes someone would put their head down and tell her who she is. She is tired of being alone. The Mouse and other creatures offer temporary company, but they are not the familiar faces she longs for. Her emotional bond with home is strong, and Wonderland fails to provide the comfort she needs.

Remembering the Riverbank

The Comfort of Memory Alice's Nostalgia During the trial, Alice grows larger and more confident, but she also remembers the world above. She thinks of her sister and the riverbank, and the contrast between the chaos of the court and the peace of the bank is stark. The dream is beginning to fray, and the reality of home is drawing her back. The Awakening Alice's final defiance—"You're nothing but a pack of cards!"—is followed by her waking up on the bank with her head in her sister's lap. The return to home is a physical and emotional release. The longing for home is resolved by the awakening, but the dream has changed her. Her sister's subsequent dream of Alice's future suggests that the bond between them will endure.

during the fall down the rabbit-hole

in the hall after the first size change

near the end of the story, during the trial