Spot the Alice references in these stories this “Alice in Wonderland” Day

IT’S the 4th of July and it’s time to go down the rabbit hole once again. Alice in Wonderland Day has been celebrated every 4th of July, since 2015 to commemorate the exact moment in time that the author Lewis Carroll, told the story of the real “Alice” in Wonderland, Alice Liddell before its official publication in 1865. 

Since 1865, the enchanting, uncanny, absurd, and fantastic journey of Alice has piqued the interests of the masses, completely being absorbed and reimagined in the fast-evolving popular culture worldwide.

Its unconventional characters, imaginative world-building, and mind-bending plot have been referenced in diverse forms of media including television shows, music, video games, and even in language—ever heard of the idiom,  “Don’t go down the rabbit hole?”

Curiouser and curiouser? Alice in Wonderland Day has been filled with themed parties, games, parades, and more—to celebrate this day, here are stories to check out that mirror Alice’s adventure in Wonderland.

The Myths of Inanna and Persephone

Inanna’s myth came from the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia, known as the world’s first civilization. The myth, in the form of a Sumerian poem, details Inanna’s descent from her heavenly realm into the underworld in order to accompany her widowed sister, Ereshkigal, in her mourning; only to be betrayed and hindered before going back to her realm. 

On the other hand, the Greek myth of Persephone also embarks on the concept of “descending.”. As the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of harvest—Persephone was naturally fond of nature.

It was during a bright, jovial, and normal day of gathering flowers that a portion of the ground opened, allowing Hades to abduct Persephone to be his wife and eventually, the queen of the underworld. 

The Matrix (1999)

Written and directed by the Wachowskis, The Matrix popularized the metaphorical red and blue pills, and the bullet time visual effect. The film went on to receive widespread acclaim from critics and was given numerous accolades, deeming it one of the best sci-fi movies of all time.

Set in a dystopian world where humanity has been overpowered by sentient forces of artificial intelligence and is imprisoned in a simulation called the “Matrix.”. The characters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) team up to free humanity.

Where’s Alice? Well, pick between the red and blue pills and see. 

Coraline (2009)

Neil Gaiman’s “Coraline,” created a buzz in the realm of stop-motion and dark fantasy films. Years after its initial release in 2009, a theatrical re-release was held proving the film to be a box office success.

Coraline is about a little girl who discovers a portal behind a supposedly sealed door leading to another world where her family is not as she seems.

An alternate world? Maybe peering “through the looking-glass” might help you see the bits of Wonderland.

Alice in Borderland (2020 and 2022)

The newest on this roster, Alice in Borderland is a Japanese sci-fi television series that tells the story of Ryohei Arisu and other individuals who are trapped in an abandoned Tokyo. Forced to become players of card-level games that only propose life-and-death scenarios, no other choice is left but to win—or die if you have nothing else to live for.

Where is Alice and the Wonderland? Try comparing the Borderland characters with Wonderland’s. Don’t Arisu, Usagi, or Chishiya sound familiar? 

With reports from Rianna Mae B. Santiago