Who are you?

My favorite and arguably the most pertinent topic in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is the feeling of uncontrollable estrangement. Alice's tumble down the rabbit hole is the initial step in a series of transformations that, more often than not, drastically effect her understanding of the world and its creatures. Wonderland is a twisted place filled with snide catapillars, mad tea-partyers, and maniacal, unforgiving tyrants. It is a place devoid of reality and riddled with contradiction, what with the talking animals and incomprehensible social order. Indeed, Wonderland is so devoid of rational grounding that Alice begins to adopt schizophrenic symptoms; insomuch as she has journeyed into the dark and mysterious depths, so too does time stop and a cheshire cat appears out of thin air.

It is because of Alice's displacement that this novel transcends age and time. It offers adults and children alike the chance to indulge in a chaotic place unlike the common world we live in. Carroll was insightful enough to realize that, when stepping away from home/sanity, the pilgrim soon loses their ability to recognize themselves. Their memories and "lessons" become diluted, which in turn directly changes their self-identity.

This quote, like many others in the novel, is a prime example of Alice's estranged introspection during her stay in Wonderland:

"The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.
'Who are you?' said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I — I hardly know, sir, just at present — at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'

'What do you mean by that?' said the Caterpillar sternly. 'Explain yourself!'

'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, 'because I'm not myself, you see.'

'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.

'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with."