114 pages • 3 hours read
Frank BeddorThe Looking Glass Wars
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2004A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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BetaPart 2, Chapters 19-22Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 19 Summary
It has been four years since Redd’s ascension to the throne of Wonderland, and her rule is tyrannical, requiring the citizens’ absolute devotion and obedience. Wonderland has undergone a radical transformation since Redd took power: Illicit activities and dark forces of deception and hatred thrive, and the once beautiful crystal buildings have become like ruins and “slums” (140); even Heart Palace is just another place for squatters. The rebel Wonderlanders have organized into a resistance group known as the Alyssians, named for Alyss, who has become a symbol of the revolution as “an icon of hope for peace’s return” (136). Dodge Anders has made a name for himself as a leading Alyssian, known for his reckless bravery—but, still hollow from the loss of both his father and Alyss, his only motivation is the thought of avenging his father’s murder by the Cat.
Chapter 20 Summary
Hatter continues his search for Alyss across Europe. He finds his top hat sitting in a puddle in Monaco and notes that the puddle should have evaporated due to the heat of the street, leading him to realize that this unnatural puddle is a portal back to the Pool of Tears. Hatter is unsure if he should enter the puddle without first locating Alyss, but he ultimately concludes that the risk is worth it, as Alyss may have already returned to Wonderland on her own; Hatter knows that if she has, she will need him.
Chapter 21 Summary
Alyss’s story resumes immediately after the events of the Prologue, in which she was betrayed by Dodgson. Alyss’s experience with Dodgson finally erases the last of her self-confidence, and she resolves to erase her memories of Wonderland and conform to the Liddells’ expectations. Alyss tears from the wall the pictures she’s drawn of Wonderland; a vision of her mother briefly appears to Alyss in the mirror, imploring Alyss to “Never forget who you are” (150), but Alyss concludes that she must have imagined it when she turns back to find the mirror empty. The following morning, Alyss sits down to breakfast with the Liddells, and they are shocked at her changed manner and body language, although they cannot articulate the exact difference in her. They are so shocked that they do not notice when Alyss calls Mr. and Mrs. Liddell “Mother” and “Father” for the first time.
Chapter 22 Summary
Hatter emerges from the Pool of Tears back in Wonderland, where he discovers that Alyss has not returned as he had hoped. He re-enters the Pool of Tears and returns to Earth, and he spends another several years searching for Alyss unsuccessfully. Thirteen years after Alyss’s disappearance from Wonderland, Hatter meets with a shopkeeper who shows recognition at the mention of Wonderland. The shopkeeper gives Hatter a copy of Dodgson’s book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; realizing that this must be his Alyss, despite the inaccuracies in her name’s spelling and her depiction on the cover, Hatter resolves to find Alyss by first locating the author, Lewis Carroll.
Part 2, Chapters 19-22 Analysis
The first chapters of Part 2 begin with a time jump of four years forward in Wonderland. In that time, Wonderland has completely devolved under Redd, who centers herself in nearly every aspect of Wonderland life. She has “Reddisms” (141) broadcast over loudspeakers all day, and she is replacing traditional texts like In Queendom Speramus with her own words. She controls the different industries, including housing industries, and intentionally introduces elements like jabberwock fighting rings in order to encourage activities like gambling that will breed more distrust, hatred, and violence on the streets. Redd’s regime and her new Wonderland are given descriptions that evoke dictatorships or fascist governments, underscoring Redd’s destructive influence.
Just as Alyss’s experiences on Earth have eroded core parts of her identity, it is clear that the influence of Redd’s Wonderland, and the trauma of Dodge’s own experiences, have impacted Dodge. At 14 years old, Dodge is known for his “suicidal bravery” and is completely preoccupied with murdering the Cat, indicating that he is driven by destructive forces; although Dodge is on the “good” side, his motivation by hatred reflects the negative developmental influence of his trauma.
Chapter 21 encapsulates a crucial moment in Alyss’s character arc: She gives up her Wonderland identity. Picking up immediately after the Prologue, the chapter shows the deep damage done by Dodgson’s betrayal. Alyss rips down the drawings of Wonderland; whereas she originally drew them to preserve her memory and identity as Alyss of Wonderland, the drawings now remind her of what she has lost. Maintaining her identity after her experiences on Earth, where her reality and sense of self are constantly undermined, is an impossible task. Ultimately, Alyss chooses assimilation and relinquishes her Wonderland identity, signifying a turning point in her self-perception.
