Reading the Classics discussion
Poetry
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The Jabberwocky
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Jul 05, 2012 12:58PM
I am so glad you shared this, Brandon. I've loved this poem since I was a child and learnt it by heart when I was about 10. Over the years,I'd forgotten one line-'Came whiffling through the tulgey wood'- which was very annoying! Very pleased to have the line back!
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If you, and Others On This Thread, like Lewis Carroll, scroll down at this link for an audio recording of his brilliant absurdist poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" -- a political satire in disguise:
http://jstevensonstories.blogspot.com...


Dunno, Alana. Closest I can come is the elephants in tutus; don't recall any walruses in Fantasia. Two absurdist classics though, no doubt!


I hope your one-ninth wasn't the head, with which the boy went "galumphing back"!

I played a playing card, too! We did Alice in Wonderland in high school, and I actually had two parts (and one line). I played the Fish Footman who delivered the croquet invitation to the Frog Footman. I said, "From the Queen, an invitation for the Duchess to play croquet", he replied, "For the Duchess, an invitation from the Queen to play croquet", I handed him the huge envelope, we bowed and hit heads, staggered back, and always got a good laugh! Then we both had to rush back, remove all our green greasepaint, change costumes, apply white greasepaint, and run back out to play card soldiers who followed the Queen of Hearts through the aisles during the croquet game, seizing unwary audience members whenever she yelled "Off with his/her head!" What a blast we had!

That's cool, Denise. Just yesterday I was reading that scene with a fifth grader (I personally tutor 5th through college), and she loved it. I don't think kids that young can enjoy the book that much on their own, but with goofy guidance, no prob!


That's great, Jon, that you are helping kids appreciate and enjoy literature! We didn't have an auditorium with a stage at my high school, so we usually did plays at the junior high next door, but in the case of Alice in Wonderland, we did it at an elementary school, so we had some daytime performances for the kids at the school, in addition to evening for the public. I think they really enjoyed it! And, of course, it's always great when a kid is exposed to something like a play or movie that might inspire them to read the book.

It saddens me when kids jump to the conclusion that they don't like certain wonderful classics merely because they have been sent off without guidance to read them on their own. My daughter did Shakespeare camp for several years, and loved the plays because she ... played in them, long before she was expected to master the text. Peter Pan's another classic that kids can love, if they're only shown how.
And you're so right about films and plays. For kids, the Johnny Depp film (haven't seen it) might be just the hook to get them into Alice, and I'm sure many kids have read The Lord of the Rings because they saw the films.


If you, ..."
Thanks for the great link!

I also love "Alice through the looking glass" and it just makes me mad that most people are not aware that there is another book and that the characters that they associate to Wonderland are not really from that book.
I think people from all ages ought to read these books, but children mainly so that they can develop their imagination.

You're welcome G! It's a pity that I can't find Bill Irwin's reading of "Jabberwocky" on the Selected Shorts website, because it's really cool.
I think we all quote "Jabberwocky" unconsciously -- "galumph" is a word invented for the poem, and I believe "chortle" was too. And I am known to shout "Oh frabjous day! Callou! Callay!" in happy moments. :o)

I do too! The whole semester we were practicing our performance at college any one of us could be heard around campus following any happy or joyful announcement with "O frabjous day!"

That's fabulous, Alana! What joyous memories!
I've also been known to shout "Gramercy!" from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at Giants games. Yeah, that's how I roll.
So you, and All Readers Of This Thread, might like to check out this great link to THIRTY-FOUR volunteer readers recording "Jabberwocky" for Librivox. I've only listened to two, and the second sounds pretty good. Just click this link and scroll ...
http://jstevensonstories.blogspot.com...

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!" :) It always set me in the right mood! Thanks! xxx