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CASD 1717 – Fall 2024

The Blue Caterpillar

On this page, we are going to examine several different interpretations of the Blue Caterpillar from one of the most well-known episodes in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. As you explore, think about what this scene might represent in each interpretation.

Early Illustration

Ink drawing of the back of a caterpillar smoking a hookah and sitting on a mushroom. Alice on tiptoe looks over the mushroom. Her body is visible below the mushroom. Background of grasses, flowers and mushrooms
Illustration by John Tenniel, Public Domain
A caterpillar with a bald human looking head smokes a long pipe atop of a mushroom. A little girl in pinafore on the lower left has her hands on the mushroom and looks up
Illustration by Lewis Carroll, printed in 1917, Public Domain, via WikiMedia Commons

Later Illustrations

Ink drawing of older teenage alice leaning over a large mushroom on which a long creature with a caterpillar like head, a polka dot bandana, human hands and feet. A hookah sits at the base of the mushroom.
Illustration by Henry Furniss, 1885, Public Domain
Tile of the back of the blue caterpillar with a hookah sitting on a mushroom. three smaller mushrooms below, green and blue background
Grueby Faience Company; Alice in Wonderland Story Tile (5): Blue Caterpillar, 1910Cleveland Public Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Watercolor illustrations of Alice, with long hair looking up at a mushroom on which a caterpillar smokes a hookah. He wears glasses and a barrister wig.
Illustration by Arthur Rackham, 1907, Public Domain
A small girl in a white dress is half hidden between two mushrooms looking up at a caterpillar smoking a long pipe is at the center of the largest mushroom. Yellow flowers are in the front
Illustration by Bessie Pease Guttman, 1907, Public Domain

The surrealist painter, Salvador Dali (of the wilting clocks) created a set of illustrations for the Alice stories. His caterpillar is not particularly blue. Alice in this painting is depicted in a long dress. You can see the rest of Dali’s illustrations at this link.

multi colored blurred long caterpillar creature on the left, in lower right a mushroom and a more realistic green caterpillar. in the upper right, an ink drawing of a woman in large skirt with arms upraised and an arc above her head
Illustration by Salvador Dali

Film

You may be most familiar with one of these two Disney versions:

1951
2010 – Tim Burton directed Alice in Wonderland

According to IMDB, there have been over 200 filmed versions of the story. This is one of the earliest silent films (just watch the caterpillar scene)

Caterpillar scene 18:30- 23:20

Here is the performer Sammy Davis Jr. from a star-studded made-for-television version of Alice where the poem becomes a full-blown number.

Dance

Lastly, take a look at this clip from a ballet version of Alice in Wonderland choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, recorded in 2013 for the Royal Opera House.

After reading the text and now seeing these visual interpretations of the blue caterpillar, do you think the figure is representative of something? Is it more than one thing? Do these videos or images support your thinking? How does Carroll’s text support it? What do one of two of the visual versions add or highlight in their interpretation?

Go Back to Visualizing Alice
Go on to Alice All Over

Comments

17 responses to “The Blue Caterpillar”

  1. Sofia Buttaro Avatar
    Sofia Buttaro

    The blue caterpillar from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is frequently interpreted as a representation of identity and evolution, which connects to the themes of change that saturate Alice’s trip. His position as a smoking, introspective character alludes to a sort of aloof wisdom, but his enigmatic, occasionally contemptuous counsel (“Who are you?”) also mirrors Alice’s inner ambivalence about who she is as she changes both physically and emotionally in Wonderland. His apathy and distance are emphasized in visual interpretations, like as Disney’s, which frequently give him a feel of authority. However, he is depicted more loosely in John Tenniel’s original illustration, sitting on a mushroom and appearing serene and reflective, which heightens the sense of mystery. Though Alice is annoyed rather than enlightened by the caterpillar’s engmatic and philosophical nature, Carroll’s book supports the idea of the caterpillar as a guide to self-awareness. These details are emphasized in the visual versions: Tenniel’s harsh drawing highlights the character’s bizarre and perhaps unnerving elements, while Disney’s whimsical animation emphasizes his role as a mysterious authority figure.

    Reply
  2. Brittany Giler Avatar
    Brittany Giler

    The Caterpillar’s ability to change size is a clear metaphor for the process of growth and development. The Caterpillar’s cryptic questions and Alice’s confusion reflect the internal struggle of finding one’s identity and purpose. The Caterpillar’s advice to “keep your temper” and “eat what you can” suggests the challenges of navigating life’s uncertainties. Visual interpretations can enhance these themes by providing additional context, symbolism, or emotional resonance. By analyzing both the text and the visual representations, readers can gain a deeper understanding of this iconic character and his role in the story.

    Reply
    1. Alexa Mendez Avatar
      Alexa Mendez

      I also agree with this interpretation on the blue caterpillar, it describes growth and development because each version we see is completely different however the purpose of the blue caterpillar that Alice meets is to navigate her through the story. Alice learns through this blue caterpillar on her journey so its purpose is showing her growth and development through the story.

      Reply
      1. Anifat Abumislimova Avatar
        Anifat Abumislimova

        I completely agree with you that the caterpillar represents change as it becomes a butterfly and which connects to Alice because it shows her growth and self-discovery.

        Reply
  3. Anthea longville Avatar
    Anthea longville

    The blue caterpillar represents transformation, wisdom and self-discovery because Alice is like a caterpillar undergoing transformation changes in size, perception and understanding herself. I think that the videos do support my thinking after watching them. Carroll’s text supports it by emphasizing the themes of identity where the caterpillar asks Alice, “Who are you.” which challenges her sense of self and confuses her about herself. It also focuses on transformation where the caterpillar tells Alice that one side of the mushroom will make hr bigger and the other side will make her smaller, and he keeps on calling her stupid girl. In John Tenniel’s visual the interpretation highlights the caterpillar’s calm wisdom in contrast to Alice’s confusion. In Furniss’s interpretation the absurd and deformed figure of the blue caterpillar emphasizes the chaotic and confusing nature of wonderland.

    Reply
  4. Amy Khait Avatar
    Amy Khait

    I think the blue caterpillar represents transformation, growth and purpose. I believe that the blue caterpillar is there to help navigate Alice throughout the story as she goes through various changes. Alice is confused about herself and her life and is trying to figure out her identity. The blue caterpillar is there to assist with its wisdom and tries to help Alice become more self aware and discover her purpose. The caterpillar is representative of the developments and transitions that Alice is going through and serves as a guide, even when she is annoyed by this. The caterpillar gives her insight and advice as she is going through her journey.

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  5. Mahnoor Avatar
    Mahnoor

    After visiting the character of the Blue Cappterpillar in multiple versions, I think that it is representative of identity, time, and wisdom, among other things. This is represented in the images and videos because we often see the caterpillar asking Alice if she knows who she is. The caterpillar also transforms into a butterfly, which plays on his role of identity, change, and growth. The blue caterpillar is a very interesting character with imaginary elements, which are represented through his aggression, smoking, transforming, etc. Carroll’s version supports this as the caterpillar similarly transforms, like in different versions, through different phases, which mirror Alice’s situation in exploring this rabbit hole that she has fallen into. The Disney version adds a very magical concept to the caterpillar. His smoke forms different letters and shapes, which play on the idea of illusion, and his aggressive attitude highlights the concept of identity as he questions Alice.

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  6. Naurah Romulus Avatar
    Naurah Romulus

    The blue caterpillar seems to represent more than one thing. It could symbolize change since caterpillars turn into butterflies, which matches Alice’s journey of growing up and figuring herself out. The caterpillar’s weird and confusing way of talking could also show how hard it is to understand things as you get older. The videos and images show the caterpillar as wise but also a bit scary or mysterious. Carroll’s text helps this idea because the caterpillar seems calm and cool like it’s hiding something. Some pictures make the caterpillar look strange and magical, adding to its mystery.

    Reply
  7. Nitzan Naim Avatar
    Nitzan Naim

    The caterpillar represents guidance in a world where everything is unknown to Alice. In the story, the caterpillar helps Alice by explaining to her how eating the different sides of the mushroom can help her control her size. In all of the versions, the caterpillar seems wise, and it seems like he has something to teach Alice about the new world she has just arrived at. This can be more than one thing, as everything is unknown to her – when she finds the caterpillar, she can barely introduce herself. For example, in the last version of the dance, you can see how the caterpillar dances and teaches Alice “his ways” until she joins him.

    Reply
    1. Ariana Loyfman Avatar
      Ariana Loyfman

      I agree that the caterpillar is representative to multiple factors in the story especially being a sort of guide in Alice’s journey. No matter how the caterpillar is represented in the story visually, this character brings a very specific detail to the overall story of Alice.

      Reply
  8. Victoria Lucenti Avatar
    Victoria Lucenti

    I think that the blue caterpillar represents identity and growth. Within almost all versions of the story, the blue caterpillar is odd but does guide Alice through questions of wisdom that do focus more towards her own identity development and her own personal understanding of perception. Caroll’s text supports this by integrating a theme of developmental growth. The Disney version also highlights the blue caterpillars mysterious insights he enlightens Alice with and also is being perceived as.

    Reply
  9. Selina Chen Avatar
    Selina Chen

    I think the blue caterpillar represents identity and change reflecting the theme of transformation throughout Alice’s journey. The character shows Alice’s struggle to identify herself and he can almost be seen as a guide for alice.

    Reply
    1. Michelle Cortes Rodriguez Avatar
      Michelle Cortes Rodriguez

      After reading a little more about the blue caterpillar I have to say that I do agree with you it does represent identity and change.

      Reply
  10. Kaylee Pontone Avatar
    Kaylee Pontone

    In the Disney cartoon movie I grew up with, Alice is a little girl that has no answers to her questions–The caterpillar also has no answers for her, which frustrates her but I think is a reflection of the fact that this entire experience is happening in her mind. Apart from this, I agree that he symbolizes transformation in identity and illusions.

    Reply
  11. Tory Sen Avatar
    Tory Sen

    In several versions of the story, the Blue Caterpillar is frequently portrayed as a symbol of identity, time, and knowledge. This thing changes into a butterfly, and its mean behavior is like Alice’s trip down a rabbit hole. The caterpillar’s change, growth, and discovery of itself are also highlighted. Carroll’s writing focuses on identity and change, while John Tenniel’s drawing shows how calm and wise the caterpillar is. Furniss’s version of the caterpillar brings out how chaotic and hard to understand Wonderland is. The caterpillar’s change and change are like Alice’s trip through the rabbit hole.

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  12. Amna Syeda Avatar
    Amna Syeda

    The Blue Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland represents wisdom and self-discovery, making Alice question who she is. The illustrations show it as mysterious, often surrounded by smoke, adding to its strange, otherworldly feel. Carroll’s text shows the caterpillar as both a guide and a puzzle, and the images highlight this with colors and expressions.

    Reply
  13. Jaylyn Calles Avatar
    Jaylyn Calles

    After reading the text and now seeing these visual interpretations of the blue caterpillar, do you think the figure is representative of something? Is it more than one thing? Do these videos or images support your thinking? How does Carroll’s text support it? What do one of two of the visual versions add or highlight in their interpretation?
    The blue caterpillar in Alice represents identity. He also reflects self worth and discovery. The illustrations show how comfortable and confident the caterpillar is. Carrolls text supports this statement. They highlight color.

    Reply

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