Sunlight and Storms

"Alice by Heart" Reviewed

(A/N I wrote this for my creative writing class and thought I'd share it.)

(Creative Nonfiction)

Bomb sirens fill the air as Alice Spencer digs through rubble to find her copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, it was all she had left after all, as the Blitz was sure to destroy everything else. Even once she is in the bomb shelter, Tuberculosis threatens to take her dearest friend, Alfred. It was bad enough that Clarissa and Dodgy wouldn't leave her alone, but the nurse wouldn't let her see her Alfred. But she snuck over to Alfred anyways, offering an escape into Wonderland before the nurse took that away. "It's no wonder they're burning books." The nurse said as she tore pages. Alice pleaded for her to stop until Tabitha reminded her that the book can't be removed from her head. The nurse tried to pull her away from Alfred again, but she fought back. "I'll show you– every one of you. I'll bring you. I know it all by heart." Alice told her before bringing everyone Down the Hole to Wonderland.

    Alice by Heart is a show I found by happenstance. A YouTube video of random moments from the show was recommended to me and I enjoyed the parts I saw. I listened to the soundtrack, the music had mostly sounded the same and I hadn't really paid attention to the lyrics. I was fairly indifferent towards it but I liked it enough to allow it into my playlist. I never could have guessed how much this show would mean to me. It grows on you, encroaching into your mind until you find yourself thinking about it. Alice found her escape in Wonderland and I found mine in her.

"Surely, books were made to linger in." Alice argued when Alfred, who became the White Rabbit, tried to move the story forward. For Alice, Wonderland was her chance to hold onto Alfred even if he is dying, she wants to stop time. "Time is chasing me still." the White Rabbit reminded her before leaving her with his gloves. Without Alfred there to make her hold the page, she turns it, allowing for her to meet the caterpillar. They remind her that since this is the story in her head, she can change the page, promising that the hookah stops time for those "whom Time concerns." Alice grasps onto this idea and the chance to control what she can. She can't stop the Blitz and she can't cure Tuberculosis, but this was something she could control. So she gives into the caterpillar and when the White Rabbit returns she tries to bring her with him. She offers him a chance to stop his obsession with time– to escape– and he eventually accepts.

I allowed Alice by Heart to become my escape while on an Arts Retreat during my senior year of high school. Despite not being religious, choosing to go on that retreat was the best choice I could have made for myself. It allowed me to breathe. During any downtime, Alice by Heart filled my ears and carried my pen as I wrote excerpts for future scenes in stories I want to write. My appreciation for the lyricism began to take hold and the seed of love began to grow. The lyrics are beautiful, poetic, and haunting, while still being laced with the wonder of Wonderland.

During their escape from reality, Alice and the White Rabbit  join a waltz of golden lobsters at the Cheshire cat's insistence. Their dance grows gentle, soft, intimate as long suppressed feelings begin to grow. Love flows between them and in their state, they nearly kiss, they desired nothing more. However, a bomb siren goes off, interrupting the bubble of Wonderland for a short while and reminding the White Rabbit that time hadn't stopped. Alice begs him to wait one more minute. "Oh, we all know about minutes." The White Rabbit replies, "How they start out, merely minutes– seeming minutes. Soon, each second, it's a minute, and the minutes run like seconds till they're hours– running, slipping– years and years– gone, gone, gone." Alice continues to argue until he finally insists that he is late and leaves. She doesn't get to be upset very long until the Duchess shows up, someone Alice had forgotten about in the story. The Duchess berates and punishes Alice for growing up, for changing the plot, for trying to be in control, but she also reminds Alice of the importance of discipline, of managing your flamingo.