Through the Looking-Glass is a novel by Lewis Carroll that was first published in 1871. It is the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Dodgson, who was a mathematician and logician at Christ Church, Oxford. Like Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass, pokes fun at the vaunted rationality of the educated Victorian elite throughout the story. The whimsical humor of the Alice novels is drawn from a conflict between the rational ideal and the chaotic truth of the world. For a separate SparkNotes guide on the poem “Jabberwocky” from Chapter 1 of the novel, click here.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Through the Looking-Glass and in-depth analyses of Alice, The Red Queen, and The White Knight.

Literary Devices

Here's where you'll find analysis of the main themes, motifs, and symbols in Through the Looking-Glass.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes.

Essays

Enchance your understanding of Through the Looking-Glass by reading background on Lewis Carroll and his works as well as a mini essay about the use of chess as a motif in the novel.