There are many bright and memorable characters in literature. One of them is the Cheshire Cat from "Alice in Wonderland" from English author Lewis Carroll. This slightly crazy beast first appeared in chapter 6 of “Pig and Pepper.” Many people immediately fell in love with the character thanks to the many unusual and wise sayings that he constantly shared with Alice and readers.
The literary work was created back in 1865. This means that the Cheshire Wise Cat recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Despite this, the work “Alice in Wonderland” does not lose its popularity, and the Cheshire Cat still interests readers of all ages. They try to analyze his phrases and find application for them in real life.
Character Description
Lewis Carroll's book says that the Cheshire Cat is a constantly smiling creature that quickly disappears or appears at will. The cat is also given the ability to teleport. Sometimes he disappears, but his smile continues to “hang” in the air. In other cases, only the Cheshire Cat's eyes remain, and his head and body are not visible. Disney animators depicted all the “transformations” of the beast in great detail.
Many people remember the hero's appearance from the character who was presented in Disney cartoon 1951 release. In this painting, the artists gave the Cheshire Cat a unique appearance - he has a striped body, a pair of yellow crazy eyes and a wide smile.
The viewer can also remember some of the character's aphorisms from the film. We are given to understand that the Cheshire cat is partly a philosopher, entertaining Alice and other characters with his difficult phrases.
Character Quotes
The Cheshire Cat makes memorable sayings:
“He who seeks will always find... If he seeks correctly.”
“Joy and slavery do not live together under the same roof.”
“Everyone in our world is crazy.”
“Stupid does not mean ignorant.”
These and other wisdom of the character can be found by looking into the work of Lewis Carroll or watching the film of the same name. What does each of them mean? You can talk about their meaning for a long time, but everyone understands the meaning in their own way.
Where did the character come from?
The big mystery: who is the Cheshire Cat and where did he come from? However, the answer can be found in real story. In the summer of 1862, English professor Charles Dodgson went on a picnic in the company of two friends. One of them took his three daughters with him to nature. People around Charles Dodgson knew that he could and loved to tell stories. incredible stories. So he was asked to make up a story to entertain the company.
Who is the Cheshire cat? February 22nd, 2014
“What are those sounds over there?” asked Alice, nodding at the very secluded thickets of some pretty vegetation at the edge of the garden.
“And these are miracles,” explained the Cheshire Cat indifferently.
“And.. And what are they doing there,” the girl asked, inevitably blushing.
“As expected,” the cat yawned. “They happen”...
So who is this Cheshire cat?
The Cheshire Cat (English: Cheshire Cat, also Maslenitsa Cat translated by V. Nabokov) is a character in Lewis Carroll’s book “Alice in Wonderland.” A constantly grinning cat who can, at his own request, gradually dissolve into thin air, leaving only a smile at parting. Alice is occupied not only with conversations that amuse her, but also with sometimes overly annoying philosophical speculations.
The only character who is a “countryman” of the author is a native of Cheshire.
In the original version of Lewis Carroll's book, the Cheshire Cat was not present as such. It appeared only in 1865. In those days, the expression “smiles like a Cheshire cat” was often used. There are different versions of the origin of this saying. Here are two of them.
In Cheshire, where Carroll was born, a hitherto unknown painter painted grinning cats over tavern doors. Historically they were grinning lions (or leopards), but few people saw lions in Cheshire.
The second explanation (Notes and Queries, No. 55, Nov. 16, 1850) states that the appearance of smiling cats was once given to the famous Cheshire cheeses, the history of which goes back more than nine centuries.
In The Book of Fictional Creatures, in the section “The Cheshire Cat and the Killkenny Cats,” Borges writes:
IN English There is an expression “grin like a Cheshire cat” (to grin sardonically like a Cheshire cat). Various explanations have been offered. One is that in Cheshire they sold cheeses that looked like the head of a smiling cat. The second is that “even cats laughed at the high rank of the small county of Cheshire.” Another thing is that during the reign of Richard III in Cheshire there lived a forester, Caterling, who, when he caught poachers, grinned evilly.
There is also information that when creating the image of the Cat, Carroll was allegedly inspired by carved wooden ornaments in the church of the village of Croft in the north-east of England, where his father served as a pastor; and also that in one of the towns in Cheshire there was a legend about the ghost of a cat appearing and disappearing.
“What are those sounds over there?” asked Alice, nodding at the very secluded thickets of some pretty vegetation at the edge of the garden.
“And these are miracles,” explained the Cheshire Cat indifferently.
“And.. And what are they doing there,” the girl asked, inevitably blushing.
“As expected,” the cat yawned. “They happen”...
Can you disappear and appear less suddenly? Otherwise my head is spinning.
“Okay,” said the Cat and disappeared - this time very slowly. The tip of his tail disappeared first, and his smile last; she hovered in the air for a long time, when everything else had already disappeared.
- Y-yes! - thought Alice. “I’ve seen cats without a smile, but smiles without a cat!” I have never seen anything like this in my life.
Cheshire Cat: Taking anything in this world seriously is a fatal mistake.
Alice: Is life serious?
Cheshire Cat: Oh yes, life is serious! But not very...
You see, this still cannot be avoided, - said the Cat, - after all, we are all crazy here. I'm crazy. You're crazy...
Why do you know that I'm crazy? - asked Alice.
“Because you are here,” the Cat said simply, “otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten here.”
Any road begins with the first step: banal, but true. Even here.
At times, in her madness, I see glimpses of real talent.
It's better to know where you're going than to wander around unknown.
Talking about bloodshed at the table spoils my appetite.
How should I understand you?
- You don't need to understand me. Be sure to love and feed on time.
Our world strives to be rational and very correct. So true that it’s hard to survive in it.
Quotes from the Cheshire Cat are wise, crazy recipes for not going crazy in this right world.
I have collected quotes for you. A total of 34 quotes from the most different works in which Alice lives and the Cheshire Cat philosophizes.
Cheshire Cat Quotes
How should I understand you?
- You don't need to understand me. Be sure to love and feed on time.Only a madman can measure success by suffering.
Any journey begins with the first step. It's corny, but true.
Those who seek will definitely find... but there are also exceptions.
Those who learn from their mistakes are called a bad word.
It doesn't matter why the significant became insignificant. It happened, and that’s it.
When miracles become delirium, reason turns into madness.
What are those sounds over there? - asked Alice.
“Oh, these are miracles,” explained the Cheshire Cat indifferently.
- And what are they doing there? - the girl asked.
“As it should be,” the cat yawned. - They happen.Flattering words often motivate the target to take action by learning their true meaning.
Joy and slavery do not live together under the same roof
He who seeks will always find...if he searches correctly.
You have two choices: one will lead you to happiness, the other will lead you to madness. My advice to you is don’t stumble.
I heard that it is wise to rely on yourself... now you have heard it too.
Guess the riddle: when does a croquet mallet look like a stun gun? The answer is obvious: whenever you want.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different from yours.
She behaves in such a way that sometimes I regret that I began to muddy the waters of this still pool...
Some people don't see a way out even if they find one. Others simply don’t look...
Taking anything in this world seriously is a fatal mistake.
- Is life serious?
- Oh yes, life is serious! But not very...They say seek and you will find, but no one says you will find.
In our world, everything is possible.
- Correction: in yours. In mine, everything is according to my rules.Collect everything you find useful. Except indifference and ignorance. And then maybe you will survive.
Sometimes the reflection in the mirror is more real than the object itself...
If you don't know something, find out... or die!
Threats, promises and good intentions, none of these are actions.
At times, in her madness, I see glimpses of real talent.
When someone's head is in the clouds, someone's heart gets wet.
Destroy what can destroy you.
Those who say that there is nothing better to calm the nerves than a cup of tea have not actually tried real tea. It's like an injection of adrenaline straight to the heart.
Protective walls may get in your way, but the most impenetrable walls in the world are those that surround our hearts.
Sometimes, before asking a person for help, you should think carefully about how this help can turn out for you.
Stupid does not mean ignorant.
The paths that lead to disaster end the same way, but how do they lead?
Whoever says that too much of a good thing is bad is lying.
If the Cheshire Cat smiles, it means someone needs it
It seems to us that it is not for nothing that the Dodo bird is depicted as looking like the extinct dodo: people like Capricorns are truly an endangered species - only they can make sufferers who have barely escaped the Sea of Tears run pointlessly in circles. That is, it seems to all the little stupid girls that a competition in which everyone turns out to be a winner is a meaningless activity. But Capricorn knows exactly why this is needed: firstly, to dry out, and secondly, to calm down (remember about the Sea of Tears?). And thirdly, actually get your prize. And anyone who thinks that all participants cannot win in a competition has never worked with Capricorn. Well, or he didn’t turn out to be the unfortunate person from whom Capricorn squeezes prizes for his metaphorical kindergarten. He beats him out with both his horns and his beak, so that you understand. But it’s okay, you will also get some nice souvenir.
- How so? - exclaimed the Mouse. “She should get a prize too!” “Undoubtedly,” agreed Dodo. - Do you have anything else in your pocket? - he asked Alice. “Only a thimble,” she answered sadly. “Give it here,” Dodo ordered. Everyone surrounded Alice, and Dodo solemnly handed her the thimble, saying: “We ask you to accept this elegant little thing!”
Aquarius - March Hare
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The March Hare, as we remember, is not just crazy, but naturally violently insane: he seems crazy even compared to all the other characters in the book. But in fact, he is perhaps the most complete person: all the other characters worry about everything all the time, but the Hare, it seems, only pretends, but in fact sincerely enjoys his madness. But, it seems to us, in this madness he is smarter than everyone else - well, because he gives Alice really the right advice. For example, always say what you think. And this advice, we believe, should be given to every girl in any incomprehensible situation. Just not so cruel:
“Drink some wine,” suggested the March Hare cheerfully. Alice looked at the table, but saw neither bottles nor glasses. “I don’t see him,” she said. - Of course! He's not even here! - answered the March Hare.
Pisces - Sonya
To be honest, every adult girl would like to become Sonya the Mouse at least for a week. Every grown girl who has a job, or school, or a child, or both, and the third combined: there is nothing more beautiful than, damn it, finally getting some sleep! But only the lucky Pisces succeed in this. That is, they, of course, do not sleep in public, but simply swim in the dark and deep waters of their rich inner world. Sometimes emerging to blurt out some stupidity. That is, we want to say to bestow those around you with the diamond fruits of your thoughts. However, there is no difference: no matter what Rybka, waking up from a metaphorical dream, blurts out, everyone will still first freeze in awe, and then begin to think: what does this even mean? The main thing is that there are no Hares or Hatters nearby, who “whip the trick” and are able to put the Fish in the teapot. Ugh be like that!
“That’s what I do,” Alice hastened to explain. “At least... At least I always think what I say... and it’s the same thing...” “Not the same thing at all,” objected the Hatter. - So you will say something else good, as if “I see what I eat” and “I eat what I see” are the same thing! “So you will say again,” Sonya said without opening her eyes, “as if “I breathe while I sleep” and “I sleep while I breathe” are the same thing!
Aries - Queen of Hearts
The Queen of Hearts is certainly a negative character, but we are sure that Aries will not be offended: the main antagonist is their favorite role, and it does not matter at all what the plot itself is about. Who cares about such little things, after all? No, if they bother you, you will certainly say about it - Aries will be grateful to you: here it is, a reason to cut off your head! Although, of course, it would be a big mistake to consider Aries as the embodiment of anger and senseless rage: this very rage is generated in them at such a speed that it simply needs to be drained somewhere so that it doesn’t explode and splash anyone. In general, if you remember, no one’s truly valuable head was ever taken off their shoulders (but that’s not certain).
- Darling, I would ask you to order this Cat to be removed. The Queen knew only one way to solve all problems, big and small. - Cut off his head! - she shouted without even turning around. “I’ll personally run after the Executioner!” - the King immediately responded and ran as fast as he could.
Taurus - White Rabbit
If you are close to a Taurus, then please remember that all troubles always begin with him: with this clean little scoundrel in a neat vest and kid gloves. Taurus always wants get started and as soon as he does this, everyone around him immediately dives after him into a black hole, that is, a rabbit hole, completely unaware of whether they need it or not. And then, you know, it will be too late. Then this will be all that you can read about from Carroll. Carroll himself, by the way, called the Rabbit an antagonist of Alice - in contrast to her “youth”, “purposefulness”, “courage” and “strength”, he corresponds to such traits as “advanced age”, “fearfulness”, “dementia” and “nervous fussiness” " Well, he probably gave up on the subject of dementia (dear editor-in-chief, the Magic Ball sends his regards to you!), but everything else is the crystal clear truth. Taurus runs for a reason. Taurus really believes that he is half a beat behind life and needs to move his rolls faster. But, by the way, if you stretch your skills and hurry after Taurus, you will find that he really is an excellent guide to the world of miracles.
- Ah, Duchess! Duchess! My poor paws! My poor mustache! She orders me to be executed! Give me something to drink, he orders!
Gemini - Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter is known even to those who haven’t read Carroll, haven’t watched the cartoon and can’t stand Johnny Depp (we, as a whole editorial team, strongly condemn the latter). Or rather, they think they know: Geminis, like the Hatter, are famous for their extravagance, bordering on madness, and those around them usually believe that Geminis are indeed a little out of their minds. Gemini, as you understand, is completely satisfied with this: if something happens, you can blame everything on your supposed “strangeness” - for those who do not understand anything. But for those who think they understand something, Gemini has its own surprises in store double bottom. Like the famous Mad Hatter riddle, which people have been trying to solve for 150 years now the best minds humanity. And, by the way, no one has yet given the correct answer, because it is impossible to agree on the main thing: can this riddle even have the only correct answer?!
“Your hair misses being cut,” said the Hatter. Before that, he looked at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and these were his first words. “You should learn that you can’t get personal,” Alice said sternly, “it’s very rude.” The Hatter's eyes widened upon hearing this; however, he only said out loud: “How is a raven similar to a desk?”
Cancer - Turtle Quasi
Not just a turtle, but a quasi-turtle, from which quasi-turtle soup is prepared. No, we don’t want to say that the evil and cruel world certainly dreams of devouring poor Cancer, but it is undeniable that Cancer himself sincerely believes in this. This is why Cancer constantly falls into pessimism, cries and regrets missed opportunities.
- Once upon a time I was a real Turtle. When we were little, we went to school at the bottom of the sea. Our teacher was an old man - Turtle. We called him Sprutik (because he always walked with a twig). We received the best education, and no wonder, because we went to school every day...
But we suspect that Cancers are just pretending, of course. In any case, we still haven’t met a brave man ready to make soup out of Cancer. Turtle - remember? - "quasi". The devil only knows what could come out of her shell. You'll be lucky if it's just a claw.
Leo - Griffin
Griffin - mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion, simply cosmically beautiful and equally cosmically powerful: the griffin, it seems, is not satisfied with everything at all. The Quasi Turtle, in his opinion, cries too often, and the Queen of Hearts says too often that she chops off heads (the griffin is sure that nothing was chopped off to anyone). But the Griffin is always happy with himself. Actually, there is absolutely nothing to add to the characteristics of Leo, except that the head of an eagle would hardly suit them - somehow, you know, this is petty for such a powerful nature.
-But I received a classical education. - How is this? - asked Alice. “That’s how it is,” answered the Griffin. “My teacher, the old crab, and I would go outside and play hopscotch all day. What a teacher he was!
Virgo - Cheshire Cat
If we assume that there is at least one normal character in Carroll’s book (well, suddenly! Just for a change!), then it is, of course, him, the Cheshire Cat. True, the Cat himself is sure that he is absolutely abnormal and, let’s not be afraid of this word, completely stubborn. And this is the whole essence of Virgo:
— A dog growls when he’s angry and wags his tail when he’s happy. She, as we agreed, is normal. What about me? I grumble when I'm happy and wag my tail when I'm angry. Conclusion: I am abnormal.
That is, while all other signs experience emotions for any reason, Virgo experiences some awkwardness: in any incomprehensible situation, an analytical headquarters unfolds in her head, and Virgo suspects that this is sometimes noticeable from the outside. “How awkward it turned out!” - Virgo thinks and disappears, leaving an embarrassed smile in the air. Supposedly embarrassed, because Virgo does not know how to be sincerely embarrassed. But, like the Cat, he knows how to sincerely make friends. If, of course, you remember that the Cheshire Cat is a kind and positive character, but he has great teeth and claws.
Libra - Alice
Carroll, in his article “Alice on the Stage,” described the character as: gentle, like a doe, courteous towards everyone, trusting and “inquisitive to the extreme, with that taste for Life that is available only to a happy childhood, when everything is new and good, and Sin and Sorrow are just words, empty words that mean nothing.”
We, in fact, have almost nothing to add to the words of the respected author, except for the moralizing maxim: “Libra! Your curiosity will one day destroy you!” But in reality, of course not. In fact, Libra's curiosity, sooner or later, one way or another, leads them to the world of real miracles. And we don't envy. Nope. Not a bit at all!
“If everything in the world is meaningless,” said Alice, “what’s stopping you from inventing some meaning?”
Scorpio - Caterpillar
Philosophizing about the meaning of life, arguing and winning in discussions, as well as leading little ones astray from the true path are Scorpio’s most favorite pastimes. It should be noted that he is an outstanding manipulator: an insect larva with bad habits (presumably illegal) is not exactly a Guru, but for some reason everyone always follows Scorpio’s advice. And it seems to us that we know why: no one except Scorpio knows how to literally drive their neighbors to white heat with two phrases, and then turn things around as if they themselves are the fools to blame. Talent!
- Why? - asked the Caterpillar. This was another puzzling question; and as Alice could not think of any convincing reason, and the Caterpillar seemed to be in a very bad mood, the girl simply turned and walked away. - Come back! - the Caterpillar called out to her. - I'll tell you something important! This certainly sounded promising; Alice turned around and went back. “Control yourself,” said the Caterpillar.
Sagittarius - King of Hearts
Sometimes it seems to us that the dear Universe invented Sagittarius for one and only purpose: to balance evil with good. These born defenders of the humiliated and oppressed are able to easily cope even with Aries, not to mention some fictional Queens of Hearts. But here’s what’s important: having entrusted Sagittarius with this honorable but difficult mission, the dear Universe gave them goodies in advance - for being harmful. So everyone usually loves and appreciates Sagittarius and really tries with all their might to put a crown on their head. Even if the ruler of a particular Sagittarius comes out frankly like cardboard.
- Cut off her head! Cut her off!.. - Nonsense! - Alice answered very loudly and decisively, and the Queen bit her tongue. The king timidly took her hand and said: “Come to your senses, dear, this is a little girl!”
The hero of the fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland" by . A cat that exhibits unusual abilities for an animal is able to talk, smile and slowly dissolve in space, so that in the end there remains only one smile that hangs in the air. Can also teleport. Entertains with conversations main character- Alice, and sometimes she gets bored with her philosophical speculations.
History of creation and image
In the original version of the fairy tale about Alice, there was no Cheshire Cat. The hero first appears in 1865. The image of the Cheshire Cat grows out of English proverb“grin like a Cheshire cat” meaning “to grin sardonically.” There are two versions of where this expression came from and why it influenced the formation of Carroll’s image of the Cat.
Carroll comes from Cheshire, where tavern doors had pictures of smiling cats on them. In theory, these painted animals were supposed to be noble lions and leopards, grinning their mouths. But in the English county, few people were lucky enough to see a real lion, so these images looked more like ordinary domestic cats with a facial expression uncharacteristic for felines. And this image was familiar to the writer from childhood.
Another explanation connects the origin of the image of the Cheshire Cat with the famous cheeses that were made in Cheshire. It is believed that these cheeses were shaped to resemble the head of a smiling cat.
Based on films released computer game, where you can play as the Cheshire Cat. There the hero has the ability to hide things and, conversely, to make what is hidden visible.
In Burton's first film, the Cheshire Cat is present with Alice at the Mad Tea Party, where the Hatter and the March Hare tell the heroine about the "bloody witch" Red Queen, who has unleashed terror in Wonderland. Later, the Cheshire Cat saves the Hatter, who is about to be beheaded.
The Cat replaces the Hatter on the chopping block and disappears from under the falling ax at the last moment, after which it appears again - in the form of only one head hanging in the air. In the finale, the Cheshire Cat removes the crown from the head of the defeated Red Queen and gives it to the White Queen.
In 2013-2014, the American TV channel ABC aired the series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, a spin-off of the series "". There the character looks like an ominous black cat with red eyes, but takes a neutral position. Cat is voiced by actor Keith David.
- The image of the Cheshire Cat has spread widely in culture, particularly in literature. Writers “borrowed” and played with it in their own way. For example, the author of the fantasy saga “The Witcher” has a story “Golden Afternoon”, where the narration is told from the perspective of the Cheshire Cat, and the Cat himself is depicted as a cat god and lord of cats.
- The image of the Cheshire Cat also appears in the book “Automatic Alice” by Jeff Noon, which explains how the hero manages to disappear and reappear.
- The character appears in the novels of the British writer Jasper Fforde. There, the Cheshire Cat serves as a librarian in the Great Library of Bookworld.
- Some authors make the Cheshire Cat a negative character. This is how the hero appears in the series of books “Through the Looking Glass Wars” by Frank Beddor. There, the Cat is a brutal killer who looks like a terrible cat-like humanoid, but can take the form of a black kitten. The character has nine lives, but the killer cat loses eight of them by the end of the first book.
- Another brutal version of the Cheshire Cat - covered in tattoos, skinny and bony - appears in the video games American McGee's Alice and Alice: Madness Returns. There the character appears as a guide and companion game character- Alice. The Cheshire Cat is depicted as a sadistic maniac with enormous claws that look like razors in the Zenescope comics.
- in the series of novels “The Chronicles of Amber” among a huge number existing worlds describes the universe of Carroll's Wonderland, where the Cheshire Cat appears among other inhabitants. There the hero becomes a specialist in magical knowledge.
Quotes
“What do I need madmen for? - said Alice.
“There’s nothing you can do,” the Cat objected. - We are all out of our minds here - both you and me.
- How do you know that I'm out of my mind? - asked Alice.
“Of course, not in his own way,” answered the Cat. “Otherwise, how would you end up here?”
