Disnability

A classic childhood fairytale, Disney’s 1951 interpretation of Alice in Wonderland weaves a tale of fantasy and adventure, which features a world full of curious and anthropomorphic creatures. The story prominently follows the journey of a girl named Alice who falls  into an alternate universe or reality. Alice is literally transported into another dimension, in which she encounters  “freaks,” or characters that extend beyond society’s perception of normalcy. From talking doorknobs to rabbits telling time and eccentric creatures having tea parties, and smoking hookah,  it is a world that encompasses  and even embraces the concept of abnormality as one of wonderment and curiosity (making it more accessible, relatable and ultimately entertaining to children and audiences).  

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee:  Generally portrayed as mischievous twins with short attention spans, limited intelligence and tendency to cause trouble. Both are abnormally built, with short stout bodies emphasized by their constantly curious movements and facial expressions that is constantly in unison. It is as if they’re not able to control their actions, and rely on each other to interact with the other characters in the film (feeding off one another’s energy). They appear harmless and normal in the beginning, but throughout the film they go out of their way to confuse Alice in her journey and explorations.

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee  (aside from the Mad Hatter and Queen) are two of the few creatures in Wonderland who embody human like factors. Ironically, the more human the creatures seem in Wonderland, the more bizarre and surreal they turn out to be (case in point, the White Rabbit). The concept of a freak is not solely based on the persons’s outer appearance, but also their behavior and relative perception of normalcy within their environment. 

Cheshire Cat: The Cheshire Cat appears at several points in the film, standing in for the state of Alice’s mind. This is emphasized by him fading in and out of existence and confusing her with meaningless instructions. The Cat almost seems unreal, like a figment of Alice’s imagination as opposed to an actual creature. His abstract existence makes Alice question her own sanity, indicating that she is the “freak”or insane one because she cannot understand their world. In this case, Alice is portrayed as the one who is an outcast, sticking out from society because of her decision to be “normal.

Caterpillar : Though only three inches high, the Caterpillar exudes confidence and sophistication that disarms Alice. Despite his small size, he wholly embraces his physical appearance and seems to look down on Alice for her lack of unusual characteristics, a common theme throughout the movie. 

Mad Hatter: One of the most charismatic and well known characters of the film, the Hatter is essentially known, for being - well, mad. He is humorous, cheerful, scatterbrained, and slightly off-kilter, traits that seem to hint at a form of social and mental disability. From his skittering conversations to defying the laws of nature by eating plates, cups, and other indelible items, it is apparent that he is considered one of the most unusual inhabitants of Wonderland. His naivety and curiosity of Alice’s whereabouts and origins seem more to be out of genuine interest rather than judgment of her “abnormalities” within Wonderland. Other film portrayals, such as Tim Burton’s 2010 film adaptation, portray the Hatter in a more somber tone, his eccentricities and unusual behavior explained due to unfortunate events and circumstances. His social (and some suggest) mental disabilities, however, only make him more endearing to Alice as well as audiences. Hatter’s persona establishes yet defies stereotypes of disability. Though he is undoubtedly unusual, he wholeheartedly accepts it and thrives in his “madness.” 

Conclusion:

The film, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, essentially questions the idea of whether disability is a physical or mental limitation or an aspect that has evolved out of societal expectations and standards. According to reports, Carroll himself suffered from the disorders micropsia and macropsia, a neurological condition that altered his perception of certain objects (e.g. large objects looked small and vice versa). In fact, the author’s disability inspired the overall creative direction of the film, with the disorder being colloquially known as the “Alice in Wonderland” syndrome in homage to the author. Alice’s perception is radically altered as she explores a world where normalcy is reversed and “freaks” are considered  the status quo. It’s as if disability inspired him to create a world in which perception is distorted, and disability is merely a social classification as opposed to concrete fact. Carroll seems to connect his own experiences of disability through the novel, a concept that the film successfully encompasses. It embraces the idea of abnormality as a positive, more whimsical alternative to the negative connotations of the disabled portrayed in modern media. As such, the film challenges audiences to reconsider their views pertaining to differences and disability, and of viewing these differences in a non-judgmental way.