Role of Cheshire Cat in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Upon reading "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, I came to the realization that I am much like the characters in the story in that I go against many of the "norms" of today's society. Though of all the characters that were introduced to me, the reader, the Cheshire Cat stuck out to me as the most relatable for many reasons.

Alice meets the Cheshire Cat upon leaving the home of the Duchess, of whom the cat belongs too. Sitting on a bough of a tree, the cat constantly grins at Alice and disappears and reappears whenever it chooses, sometimes leaving its grin behind even after disappearing. This illustrates my longing to disappear, to escape from the troubles of day-to-day life that plague each of us throughout the week. Though one can't physically disappear as the Cheshire Cat did, there are certainly ways to give the illusion that you can. Growing up as a child, I became fascinated with magic and illusion. I once thought that certain people possessed super powers, having the ability to make objects disappear and reappear right before our very eyes. Wanting the ability to do such superhuman acts of magic, I went through numerous magic kits of all kinds and even was lucky enough to convince my parents to hire a magician for my eighth birthday party. Everybody wishes to render themselves invisible at one point or another, whether it be for fun or out of frustration towards life. The Cheshire Cat struck a chord with me, and I recalled this aspect of my childhood.

The Cheshire Cat is also smart and mischievous, both of which are qualities I consider myself as possessing. School has always been a struggle for me, though I would consistently do well in every subject I've taken. I would consider myself a hard worker because of this, a quality that cannot be seen in the Cheshire Cat, however. Pranks are among the many reasons for me getting in trouble throughout my life, for many of which would result in some form of injury. I would take April Fool's day very seriously, often teaming up with my cousin to plot the greatest of pranks on family members. Because of this, I would also consider myself mischievous in my own way.

When approached by a rather lost Alice with no clue as to where to venture next, the Cheshire Cat helps inform the girl of the Hatter and March Hare that live nearby, adding "visit either you like: they're both mad." The cat proves helpful to Alice throughout the story, and is the only character in Wonderland who actually listens to her. I too find great joy in helping others, part of the reason being how I was raised. I was taught at an incredibly young age the differences between right and wrong and the benefits of helping others, which proved to guide me in the right direction in life and many good things resulted from this. Though a big help to Alice, the Cheshire Cat is partially to blame for the trouble she gets into. I would could relate to the cat, for often times my advice would unexpectedly lead someone into troublesome situation.

Before reading Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" I had very little idea how well the characters related to myself, especially the Cheshire Cat. Upon further insight into the Cheshire Cat, I have discovered that I refer to my upbringing quiet often. This is possibly because some of my happiest moments occurred to me as a child, a time where the worries of life were miniscule in comparison to those of an adult. Many positive aspects of myself were also realized, of which were never recognized until now. Though his role in story is rather small, the Cheshire Cat has left a notable impact on myself as well as on popular culture.