The Messed Up Origins of Alice in Wonderland (Pt. 4) | Disney Explained - Jon Solo

Summary

In the final installment of 'Messed Up Origins: Alice in Wonderland,' Jon Solo dives into the chaotic and surreal conclusion of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He breaks down the trial of the Knave, highlighting the absurdity of the courtroom, the nonsensical characters, and the wild events. Alice grows to her full size, defies the Queen, and the entire pack of cards attacks her. The story ends with Alice waking up from her dream, reflecting on the strangeness of her adventure. Jon also teases future explorations of 'Through the Looking Glass' and beyond.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is the final part of Jon Solo's series on 'Alice in Wonderland’s Messed Up Origins,' which breaks down the chaotic final chapters of the book.
• 😀 The sponsor for the video is Squarespace, a website-building platform that requires no prior design knowledge to create websites for various purposes.
• 😀 Alice is introduced to two new characters: the Griffin and Mock Turtle, who explain their backstory and show her a strange dance called the Lobster Quadrille.
• 😀 The Mock Turtle is deeply emotional about his past life as a real turtle, which adds a comedic yet melancholic tone to the narrative.
• 😀 Alice recounts her adventures to the Griffin and Mock Turtle, including her attempt to repeat a poem that results in her being roasted by them.
• 😀 The trial in the courtroom is centered around the theft of tarts, with the Knave of Hearts as the accused, and the Queen of Hearts presiding over the proceedings.
• 😀 The courtroom scene includes absurd humor, such as jurymen writing random words instead of taking notes and witnesses being incredibly unhelpful.
• 😀 The trial features a series of bizarre witnesses, including the Mad Hatter, whose paranoia and forgetfulness add to the chaos, and the Cook, whose tarts are made of pepper.
• 😀 The climax of the trial involves Alice being called as a witness, where she stands up for justice and points out the absurdity of the proceedings.
• 😀 The video concludes with Alice growing to full size, causing a ruckus in the courtroom, before waking up from what was all just a strange dream.
• 😀 Jon Solo hints that there will be more videos on 'Through the Looking Glass' and other related content, signaling that the Alice series will continue in the future.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video in the script?

The video is focused on discussing the final three chapters of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' with a detailed breakdown of the events, characters, and humor in these chapters. The video also touches on the influence of the book and the relationship between the author, Charles Dodgson, and Alice Liddell.

How does the script describe the Mock Turtle and Griffin's interaction with Alice?

The Mock Turtle and Griffin introduce Alice to the Lobster Quadrille, a square dance with lobsters, and entertain her with a sad song and some odd games. The Mock Turtle becomes emotional as he reminisces about his past life in the sea, while Alice is amused by their antics.

What role does Squarespace play in the video?

Squarespace is featured as a sponsor, with Jon Solo promoting the platform as a user-friendly website-building tool. He encourages viewers to use Squarespace for creating various types of websites, from business sites to personal projects, offering a free trial and a discount on first purchases.

How does the script highlight the absurdity of the trial in Wonderland?

The script emphasizes the chaotic and nonsensical nature of the trial, where characters like the Mad Hatter and the Cook provide confusing or irrelevant testimonies. It shows the Queen and King's arbitrary judgment, and the absurdity of evidence, such as verses that are not in the Knave’s handwriting, yet still used against him.

What does Alice do during the trial when her name is called?

When Alice’s name is called, she stands up, but due to her growth, she accidentally knocks over the jury box, causing chaos in the courtroom. Alice then defends herself when asked about the Knave's guilt, pointing out the flaws in the trial's evidence.

How does Alice react to the Queen's order of 'Off with her head'?

Alice defies the Queen’s order of 'Off with her head,' stating, 'Who cares for you? You're nothing but a pack of cards.' This shows her growing confidence and sense of independence as she challenges the nonsensical authority of Wonderland.

What is the significance of the Knave's red nose in the illustrations?

The red nose of the Knave in the illustrations is a subtle visual clue that suggests he is a criminal, as Victorians often associated red noses with heavy drinking. It also ties into a common trope in art and cartoons to depict drunkenness through this feature.

How does Jon Solo reflect on the challenges of retelling 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland'?

Jon Solo reflects that 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland' is a difficult story to narrate due to its frequent shifts in topic, miscommunications, and literal interpretations by the characters. He points out how challenging it is to convey the surreal and disjointed nature of the book while still keeping the story coherent.

What is the thematic significance of Alice’s dream at the end of the story?

Alice’s dream at the end of the story serves as a return to reality, signaling the end of her adventures in Wonderland. The dream sequence also suggests the blending of childhood imagination with the real world, as her sister starts to envision the characters from Alice's tale, reflecting a cyclical sense of wonder and creativity.

What does Jon Solo mention about the future of the Alice series in the video?

Jon Solo hints that the video on 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland' is not the last on the topic. He plans to delve into the 'Messed Up Origins' of 'Through the Looking Glass' and explore deeper aspects of the characters, poems, and Charles Dodgson's relationship with Alice Liddell in future videos.