The symbolism of the pack of cards

[Piero]

Even though the term "meme" wasn't coined until much later, the "pack of cards", In Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", is a kind of proto-meme.  

 

Alice has been living within a sophisticated dream. Her seemingly real and immersive virtual reality experience was merely a construct, until she realises that it was all just a pack of cards. The cards represent an authoritarian and cruel system in which power is abused. Cards can be stacked high, in hierarchical order, but they can just as easily be toppled. As soon as Alice awakened, what she encountered simply dissolved!

 

'Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple.

 

'I won't!' said Alice.

 

'Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

 

'Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) 'You're nothing but a pack of cards!'

 

At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the trees upon her face.

'Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; 'Why, what a long sleep you've had!'

 

John Tenniel's drawing from the 1865 edition of the novel:

 

 

 

 

[sock muppet]

34 minutes ago, Piero said:

Even though the term "meme" wasn't coined until much later, the "pack of cards", In Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", is a kind of proto-meme.  

 

Alice has been living within a sophisticated dream. Her seemingly real and immersive virtual reality experience was merely a construct, until she realises that it was all just a pack of cards. The cards represent an authoritarian and cruel system in which power is abused. Cards can be stacked high, in hierarchical order, but they can just as easily be toppled. As soon as Alice awakened, what she encountered simply dissolved!

 

'Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple.

 

 

'I won't!' said Alice.

 

 

'Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

 

 

'Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) 'You're nothing but a pack of cards!'

 

 

At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the trees upon her face.

 

'Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; 'Why, what a long sleep you've had!'

 

John Tenniel's drawing from the 1865 edition of the novel:

 

 

 

 

 

What else might it relate to?

[Piero]

1 minute ago, sock muppet said:

What else might it relate to?

Do you think the pack of cards could be a reflection of Alice's own ego as she navigates through a strange, upside down reality?

 

What do you think it might relate to?

 

[sock muppet]

43 minutes ago, Piero said:

Do you think the pack of cards could be a reflection of Alice's own ego as she navigates through a strange, upside down reality?

 

What do you think it might relate to?

 

 

Time plays a leading part in this instance of relevance, the thing is, it's always now.

[Piero]

3 minutes ago, sock muppet said:

Time plays a leading part in this instance of relevance, the thing is, it's always now.

Now that's a thought!