{"product_id":"through-the-looking-glass-by-lewis-carroll","title":"Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e is a playful, imaginative and timeless children’s fantasy that transports Alice into a world where ordinary rules have been reversed. After wondering what life might be like inside the reflection of her drawing room, Alice climbs through the looking glass and discovers that the world beyond it is alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChess pieces walk and speak, flowers hold conversations and familiar nursery-rhyme characters behave as though their stories are real events. Time moves strangely, words refuse to keep simple meanings and Alice must learn to navigate a landscape that operates according to its own unusual logic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe world beyond the mirror is arranged like a giant chessboard. Alice begins her journey as a White Pawn and learns that, by travelling across the board, she may eventually become a queen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer journey introduces some of Lewis Carroll’s most famous characters, poems and examples of nonsense literature, including the Red Queen, White Queen, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Humpty Dumpty, the White Knight and the mysterious creature described in “Jabberwocky.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat Is Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll About?\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e follows Alice as she leaves her familiar home and enters a magical world through a large mirror.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt first, the room beyond the looking glass resembles her own drawing room. However, familiar objects soon behave in impossible ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBooks contain writing that can be understood only when reflected in a mirror. Chess pieces move around independently, and the world outside is divided into squares like a giant game board.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice decides that she wants to become a queen. To achieve this goal, she must move from one square to another as though she were a pawn in a chess match.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery stage of her journey introduces a new puzzle, argument, poem or strange character. Alice attempts to apply ordinary reason, but the inhabitants of the looking-glass world continually challenge her understanding of language, identity and reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eA Companion to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass\u003c\/strong\u003e is the companion novel to \u003cem\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first story begins when Alice follows the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole. The second begins when she steps through a mirror.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth books feature magical worlds filled with unusual creatures, changing rules and playful conversations. However, the two adventures have different structures.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWonderland is shaped by playing cards, while the looking-glass world is organised around a chess game.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders can enjoy this story independently, but reading \u003cem\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e first provides a fuller introduction to Alice and Lewis Carroll’s distinctive style.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eEntering the Looking-Glass House\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice begins her adventure while playing with her kittens and imagining what may exist beyond the mirror.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe notices that the reflected room looks similar to her own, but she wonders what might be hidden in the areas that cannot be seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer curiosity transforms imagination into reality. The glass becomes soft, and Alice passes through it into the Looking-Glass House.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnce inside, she discovers that the reflected world is not merely a reversed copy of her home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe chess pieces have come to life, and a mysterious book contains the poem “Jabberwocky,” written in words that initially appear backwards.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis opening establishes two important elements of the novel: mirror reversal and the possibility that language itself may operate differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eA Journey Across a Giant Chessboard\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe landscape beyond the house resembles a chessboard divided into squares by streams and hedges.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice meets the Red Queen, who explains that she is currently a pawn. If she successfully reaches the eighth square, she can become a queen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis gives Alice’s adventure a clear destination, although the path towards it is anything but straightforward.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer movements across the landscape loosely follow the progress of a chess game. Each new square introduces different characters and challenges.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe chess structure creates a sense of order beneath the apparent nonsense. Although individual scenes seem unpredictable, Alice is continually moving towards her goal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMeeting the Red Queen\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Red Queen is confident, strict and always in a hurry.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe expects Alice to follow instructions immediately and frequently criticises her behaviour, posture or understanding.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the strangest moments in the novel occurs when Alice and the Red Queen run as quickly as possible but remain in the same location.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis scene introduces a world in which movement and progress do not operate according to ordinary expectations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Red Queen explains that people must run simply to remain where they are and run even faster if they want to reach somewhere else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe idea is humorous, but it also encourages readers to think about effort, change and situations in which constant activity does not necessarily create progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe White Queen and Reversed Time\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe White Queen experiences time differently from Alice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe appears capable of remembering events before they happen and responding emotionally to injuries she has not yet received.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis reversed relationship with time reflects the wider logic of the mirror world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eActions and consequences may appear in an unfamiliar order, making ordinary ideas about cause and effect difficult to apply.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice attempts to understand the White Queen’s explanations, but each answer produces another puzzle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe conversations are funny and confusing at the same time, encouraging readers to question assumptions they normally accept without examination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTweedledum and Tweedledee\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTweedledum and Tweedledee are nursery-rhyme twins who look almost identical and frequently complete or contradict each other’s statements.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice hopes they will provide useful directions, but they are more interested in reciting poetry, arguing and involving her in their personal disagreement.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey tell Alice the story of “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” one of the most famous poems in the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe twins later prepare for a battle over a broken rattle, but their conflict is interrupted before it can properly begin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir behaviour turns a simple nursery rhyme into an extended comic scene about pride, argument and the absurdity of unnecessary conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Walrus and the Carpenter\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The Walrus and the Carpenter” is a poem recited by Tweedledum and Tweedledee.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt tells the story of two travellers who persuade a group of young oysters to leave their home and walk along the beach.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe friendly invitation gradually becomes something far more dangerous.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe poem combines cheerful language with a darker event, creating uncertainty about which character deserves greater blame.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice is asked to decide whether the Walrus or the Carpenter is better, but every possible answer leads to another moral complication.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe poem demonstrates how Lewis Carroll uses nonsense and humour to raise serious questions about trust, persuasion and responsibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eHumpty Dumpty and the Meaning of Words\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eHumpty Dumpty appears sitting on a narrow wall and immediately begins arguing with Alice about names, birthdays and language.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe believes that words can mean whatever he decides they should mean.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice questions whether one person can control language in this way, leading to one of the book’s most memorable discussions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir conversation explores the relationship between words, meaning and authority.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLanguage allows people to communicate only when they share enough understanding of what words represent.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf every person privately changes definitions, communication becomes nearly impossible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHumpty Dumpty also helps Alice interpret parts of “Jabberwocky,” demonstrating how invented words can still suggest meaning through sound, structure and context.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eJabberwocky and the Power of Nonsense Poetry\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Jabberwocky” is one of the best-known nonsense poems in English literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt describes a heroic confrontation with a dangerous creature using a mixture of familiar language and invented words.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough many individual terms do not have ordinary dictionary definitions, readers can still understand the poem’s mood and basic action.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLewis Carroll uses rhythm, grammar and sound to make unfamiliar words feel meaningful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe poem demonstrates that language communicates through more than literal definitions. Tone, position and surrounding words can help readers imagine meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Jabberwocky” has remained popular because it is exciting, strange and enjoyable to read aloud.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Lion and the Unicorn\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice later encounters the Lion and the Unicorn fighting for a crown.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir conflict is connected with another traditional nursery rhyme, but the looking-glass world treats the rhyme as a real event.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe characters stop fighting to eat and then return to their struggle, creating a comic contrast between serious competition and ordinary appetite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice is treated as an unusual creature because the Lion and Unicorn are uncertain whether children truly exist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis reverses the reader’s normal perspective. Alice considers talking animals strange, while the animals consider Alice unbelievable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Gentle White Knight\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe White Knight is one of the kindest figures Alice meets during her journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe is inventive, awkward and constantly falling from his horse, but he sincerely wants to protect and guide her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis inventions are often impractical, yet his imagination and gentleness make him very different from the more demanding queens and argumentative characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe White Knight accompanies Alice towards the final stage of her journey and shares a farewell song with her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir meeting gives the novel a quieter and more emotional moment before Alice reaches her goal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAlice Becomes a Queen\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice’s progress across the chessboard eventually brings her to the final square.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe is crowned as a queen, but achieving the title does not immediately give her control over the looking-glass world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Red Queen and White Queen continue asking questions, giving instructions and challenging her understanding.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA royal feast quickly becomes chaotic as food speaks, guests behave strangely and ordinary rules collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice must decide whether becoming a queen has truly changed her position or merely introduced a new kind of confusion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMirror Images and Reversed Reality\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMirrors are central to the novel’s structure and themes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe looking-glass world resembles Alice’s own world but reverses familiar relationships.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWriting appears backwards, directions operate unexpectedly and causes may seem to follow their effects.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese reversals allow Lewis Carroll to transform ordinary ideas into puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy placing familiar objects and characters in unfamiliar relationships, the story encourages readers to examine assumptions about reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA mirror reflects the world accurately in some ways while changing it in others. The novel uses this principle to create a fantasy world that feels recognisable and impossible at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eLogic, Rules and Absurdity\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLewis Carroll was deeply interested in mathematics and logic, and the book frequently plays with rules and reasoning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCharacters often begin with an apparently logical statement but reach an absurd conclusion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther characters change the rules during a conversation or insist that their personal interpretation is the only possible one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice tries to reason carefully, but the world around her does not always respect consistent definitions or cause and effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe humour often comes from seeing logical language used to defend something completely unreasonable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis makes the story enjoyable for children while providing additional layers for adults interested in language, philosophy and logic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eIdentity and Growing Up\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice repeatedly attempts to understand who she is within the looking-glass world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther characters question her name, position, memory and right to describe herself as real.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe begins as a pawn and hopes to become a queen, giving her journey the structure of personal growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, reaching a higher position does not solve every problem.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story suggests that growing up involves learning to respond to confusing rules, difficult personalities and expectations that do not always make sense.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice becomes increasingly willing to challenge the world around her rather than accepting every instruction without question.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDreams and the Question of Reality\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDreams are another important element in \u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCharacters disagree about who is dreaming and whether Alice exists independently or only as part of another person’s imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis creates a puzzle that the novel does not resolve through one simple answer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe looking-glass adventure feels vivid and real to Alice, yet its changing rules resemble the unpredictable logic of a dream.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story encourages readers to consider how people distinguish imagination, memory and reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImportant Themes in Through the Looking-Glass\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eImagination and Curiosity\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice’s curiosity allows her to enter a world that exists beyond ordinary experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLanguage and Meaning\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHumpty Dumpty, “Jabberwocky” and other scenes explore how words receive and communicate meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLogic and Nonsense\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story uses apparently logical arguments to create humorous and absurd conclusions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIdentity and Growth\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice’s movement from pawn to queen reflects her search for confidence and greater independence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eRules and Authority\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eQueens and other characters frequently use rules to control conversations, even when those rules are inconsistent.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMirrors and Reversal\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe looking-glass world transforms familiar ideas by presenting them backwards or in unexpected relationships.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDreams and Reality\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe novel questions whether Alice is the dreamer, part of another person’s dream or both.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho Should Read Through the Looking-Glass?\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis classic is an excellent choice for readers interested in:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClassic children’s literature\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFantasy adventures and imaginary worlds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTalking animals and nursery-rhyme characters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChess, riddles and logical puzzles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNonsense poetry and wordplay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamily reading and classroom discussion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBooks illustrated by John Tenniel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBritish literary classics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe unusual vocabulary, poetry and wordplay may be challenging for very young independent readers. Illustrated editions are especially suitable for shared family reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003e7 Magical Reasons to Read Through the Looking-Glass\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlice enters an imaginative world hidden beyond an ordinary mirror.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe entire adventure is structured like a giant game of chess.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaders meet Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and the Red Queen.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“Jabberwocky” demonstrates the imaginative power of nonsense poetry.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe story combines fantasy with clever puzzles involving language and logic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlice’s journey from pawn to queen explores confidence, identity and growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChildren and adults can discover different meanings within the same adventure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAlice Books Reading Order\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth stories follow Alice into imaginative worlds, but each offers different characters, poems and forms of playful logic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAbout Lewis Carroll\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, an English writer, mathematician, photographer and teacher.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe is best known for \u003cem\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis writing combines fantasy, puzzles, poetry, logical arguments and imaginative wordplay.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis other works include \u003cem\u003eThe Hunting of the Snark\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSylvie and Bruno\u003c\/em\u003e and several books about mathematics and logic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass\u003c\/strong\u003e, Carroll created enduring characters and poems while exploring language, identity and the strange rules governing both dreams and reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOrder Through the Looking-Glass in Sri Lanka\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e is an essential addition to collections of children’s classics, fantasy literature and imaginative adventure stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlice’s journey through the mirror introduces living chess pieces, talking flowers, nursery-rhyme characters and a world where nothing behaves exactly as expected.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrder \u003cstrong\u003eThrough the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e online in Sri Lanka and experience the magical companion to \u003cem\u003eAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExplore more \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bargainbooks.lk\/category\/children-young-adult\/fairy-tales-classics\/\"\u003efairy tales and children’s classics available from Bargain Books\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRead the complete public-domain story on the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/ebooks\/12\"\u003eProject Gutenberg website\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Book Lounge","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67987088376083,"sku":"2354","price":1330.0,"currency_code":"LKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1011\/1890\/2547\/files\/1723184070-1.jpg?v=1794308926","url":"https:\/\/mo.lk\/products\/through-the-looking-glass-by-lewis-carroll","provider":"MO Marketplace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}