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Theresia Hendricks
Y. Garza
English II-4
th

February 18, 2014
Lewis Carroll
Why sometimes Ive believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.-Lewis
Carroll (Carroll). This quote helps to perfectly explain Lewis and the thought processes behind
his literature and poetry. Growing up Lewis entertained his family with magic tricks, puppet
shows, and his own inventive games (Poets.org). He also had already begun writing poetry at an
early age, using his imagination to fuel his writing (Poets.org). Although he was a shy person,
one of his hobbies was making up all sorts of stories for children (Lewis Carroll). We can see
this clearly in his poem Dreamland. In fact, one of his most well-known works, Alice in
Wonderland was inspired by a girl whom Lewis spoke to (Lewis Carrol). Lewis wrote what
appeared to be a lot of literary nonsense, and seemed to prefer living in his own world, reflecting
this through his poetry (Poetry Assignment!..). In Dreamland Carroll used the influence of
his criticism about his childhood speech problem to help inspire the poem. This is seen in the
repetition at the end of each stanza, vivid imagery, and mood to help bring to life this work of
poetry.
Dreamland shows how Carroll viewed reality and his comparison of it to his own
personal dreamland. Growing up he had had a severe stammer. This came perhaps as a result of
suffering a bad fever as a child causing him to grow deaf in his left ear, creating this stammer
(Poetry Assignment!...). Due to the criticism of this stammer Carroll possibly saw the world, or
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the people in it as evil, and therefore was disillusioned with reality (Poetry Assignment!...). One
thing that Lewis found happiness in was working with children and telling them all kinds of great
imaginative stories, also taking up the hobby of photography (Lewis Carroll). Another
example is when Carroll writes, No spoilers hand may enter(Dreamland). In this line
Carroll shows that this dreamland is his own and no one may ruin it. He also shows the authority
that he has, not letting anyone in that may ruin his happiness (Dill). His dreamland seemed to be
a way for him to get away from harsh reality, comparing it negatively to how lovely dreamland is
for him. This is what he shows in his poem, i.e. you can create your own dreamland to escape
from the world, and you are solely in charge of it. Try not to let in the bad things, only the good.
Lewis Carroll uses repetition at the end of each stanza saying, that everything shall pass
away. He does this to emphasize that nothing endures forever. In one piece of Dreamland this
repetition changes slightly to state, Shall never pass away(Dreamland). It was written at the
end of the fourth stanza where it relates to his dreamland. This is where, for him, all of the good
and beautiful things are and last, but then it goes back to say in the last stanza that, I see the
shadows falling/ the forms of old recalling/ around me tread the mighty dead/ and slowly pass
away(Dreamland). This presents to us that even dreams will eventually fade away and you
must return to reality when you wake up (Dill). In summary, Carroll is saying that you can stay
in your dreamland and be in control of it letting things last, but be wary that in the end just as
things in reality, it too cannot stay forever and you will still have to go back to this reality of life.
Lewis Carrolls works were rooted in his own imagination, always demonstrating vivid
imagery. Dreamland was certainly no exception to this. Carroll had always had a great
imagination, even from childhood, and most likely it was due to the fact that he came from a
small, simple town (Poetry Assignment!..). He uses stark imagery to show the great contrast
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between reality and his dreamland (Dill). He repeatedly describes reality as, Around me tread
the mighty dead (Dreamland). Carroll says this because to him reality is full of people, who
live boring lives that just go on and on. You can see the great difference he uses when speaking
of dreamland, These visions fair, this radiance rare (Dreamland). Demonstrating how great
and lovely his dreamland was. In his dreams he talks of, The blaze of the noonday splendor/ the
twilight soft and tender (Dreamland). He also uses vivid imagery to talk about waking up
from your dreams. I see the shadows falling/ the forms of old recalling/ around me tread the
mighty dead (Dreamland). He sees everything falling back into the dark reality, back to all of
the bad things he left behind, having to return to the mighty dead. For Lewis Dreamland was
his great escape, the place of happiness where he was in full control.
Dreamland also exhibits a sad and solemn mood with a little bit of faith. Everything
seems as though it will all end good or bad, and how even when you are away in your dreams,
eventually you will have to wake up to the dull reality (Dill). He exhibits his main idea about
reality with the phrase, Around me tread the mighty dead(Dreamland). It talks about how he
sees reality as a place filled with people who really do not live, perhaps physically but not
mentally or emotionally. The emphasis of hope that he shows is that you can get away when you
need to, even if it is just for a little while. He gives Dreamland a very appealing factor, like
when he describes his dreamland, but then changes it right back to a somber mood. But here in
Dreamlands center,/ no spoilers hand may enter,/ these visions fair, the radiance rare,/ shall
never pass away./ I see the shadows falling,/ the forms of old recalling;/ Around me tread the
mighty dead,/ and slowly pass away.(Dreamland). All he wants is to just dream of a happier
place and forget about the bad, and when he does, he has to wake up back to reality. So it is the
same for all of us.
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With this poem Lewis wants people to open up their minds and dream of a better place to
escape. This poem demonstrates Carrolls opinions on the world that he lived in, no doubt caused
by experiences growing up, and how he coped with them. He uses repetition to show that
everything will have to pass away, good and bad. Lewis displayed his great imagination with
intense imagery and ideas which filled his poem. The mood that he evoked was solemn;
nevertheless at the same time it contained some hope and happiness. Lewis also used many
different styles and poetic elements in all of his literature, particularly in Dreamland. Being a
skilled creative writer he used his own experiences and opinions with poetic elements to write
Dreamland as well as his other literary works, especially Alice in Wonderland, wherein he
left behind his legacy.













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Works Cited
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. Goodreads.com. Goodreads Inc., n.d.. Web. 13 Feb.
2014. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/112142-why-sometimes-i-ve-believed-as-
many-as-six-impossible-things>
Carroll, Lewis. Dreamland. Poem Hunter.com. n.p., March 29, 2014. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/dreamland-25/>
Dill, Angela. Analysis of one Work. Blogspot.com. n.p., May 1, 2012. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
<http://angela-dill.blogspot.com/2012/05/analysis-of-one-work.html>
Lewis Carroll. Biography.com. A&E Networks, 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-carroll-9239598>
Lewis Carroll. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/78>
Poetry Assignment! Lewis Carroll. Blogspot.com. n.p., Nov. 8, 2011. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
<http://macropterousmaddie.blogspot.com/2011/11/poetry-assignment-lewis-
carroll.html>