In Lewis Carroll's chapter, "It's My Own Invention," Alice encounters the White Knight. The hero attempts to save Alice from the Red Knight, who is mistaken for taking Alice's position on the chessboard. In reality, the White Knight perceives the situation incorrectly but still comes to Alice's rescue. The White Knight and Red Knight essentially fight over nothing, emphasizing the incredulity and nonsensical nature of the setting and series of events. In my opinion, Carroll's White Knight represents adulthood. Alice has never seen such a "strange-looking soldier in all her life"[1].
The White Knight
Whilst Alice journeys throughout Wonderland without any necessary inventions or protective means, the knight is overly-prepared. Historically, a knight is tied to a code of chivalry, as he "promise[s] to defend the weak, be courteous to all women, be loyal to their king, and serve God at all times"[2]. Given the societal pressures and demands, a knight must be prepared for anything, ready to take arms or find religious strength to overcome any obstacle he must face. Just the same, the White Knight is covered in armor and carries countless inventions in preparation for any trial or tribulation. As adults, we prepare ourselves for every situation possible. Through innovation and invention, humans attempt to prevent any sense of loss, failure, injury, etc.
Adult tend to prepare for the unknown, constantly living in the future rather than the "now". In contrast, Alice lives in the present. She acts like most children, lacking in preparation for the future. Alice continues along her journey, taking it one step at a time. The Knight has difficulty maintaining his balance because he is so distracted by the obstacles and future challenges he must face. He is focused on the future rather than the present, and thus, he constantly falls. He prepares for what may happen rather than what is.
You can never be too prepared.
The Mother Mary
In Hopkins poem, "The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe," the author utilizes metaphors to emphasize the depth and beauty of the bond between Mary and man. He references Mary "As if with air; the same/ Is Mary, more by name"for "her life [is] as life does air"[3]. Hopkins emphasizes that the Mother Mary is as necessary to humans as air is to our lungs. Mary is referenced as a metaphor for holy providence, implying Mary's influence on man and her subsequent universality in our lives. Just as the this poem implies the need for religious sentiment in our lives, the poem "Ad Matrem Virginem" acts as a communion hymn to Mother Mary. The poem celebrates Mary's undying love for her son and her religious loyalty. only Mary can "teach [us] about [God] and "teach [us] to love"[4] . In both cases, Mary acts as a figure of praise and influence significant to Mankind's religious devotion.
Nature's Dependence on Mother Mary
1. Lewis Carroll, The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2000), 236.
2. Oracle ThinkQuest, "The Medieval Knight." Accessed May 13, 2012. http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medknight.html.
3. Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Major Works Including all the Poems and Selected Prose (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), 159.
4. Hopkins, The Major Works, 329.
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