Lessons from 'Alice in Wonderland' Characters

The Oddly Inspiring Characters of Lewis Carroll

By Paul Asay

Wonderland is an odd place. Why else would director Tim Burton want to visit it? The land is filled with talking animals, disappearing cats, nursery-rhyme characters, hookah-smoking caterpillars and truly mind-altering mushrooms. Why, one would almost "wonder" whether this land makes any sense at all!

But for all its oddities, Lewis Carroll's imaginative Wonderland—a place many of us will revisit in Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," opening March 5—is home to a veritable tear-filled ocean of life lessons and advice that we can all learn from. So take a moment to dive into the world of Wonderland. Just be careful what you eat there.

Photos: Walt Disney Pictures