Representation of different cultures and subcultures is a common tool in filmmaking to develop a conflict between the characters and relay themes and ideas. It often emphasizes character traits associated with different cultures in a given society due to long-lasting prejudices and experiences. Building a character around a distinctive set of values and traits is much simpler by relying on the viewer’s pre-existing perceptions of different cultures and subcultures by the viewer. This way, by presenting some specific visual or narrative clues, the filmmaker can non-verbally describe, at least to some extent, certain character traits and predict conflicts in the story. Character interactions play a significant role in this process, allowing the intended cultural differences to surface and do their part in characterization and conflict development. Usually, at least one of the heroes is associated with the culture or subculture relatable to the viewer while others are represented as foreign, serving as a potential basis for a conflict.
Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and the subsequent film adaptations, particularly the one from 1951, masterfully incorporate different national cultures and subcultures, primarily English, French, and vaguely Arabian, into the plot (Geronimi et al., 1951). It is used primarily for assigning certain character traits throughout the story by relying on the viewer’s preconceived perception of these cultures. However, cultural interactions are more important in representing some of the story’s hidden meanings, including the discovery of foreign and colonialism (Power et al., 2023). An example is the meeting between Alice and the Caterpillar, where Alice encounters someone who represents her preconceptions of a Middle Eastern person. Alice, a well-educated child from a wealthy English family, meets a giant Caterpillar, an exotic-looking creature with pointy shoes and a hookah, covered in clouds of colorful smoke and singing in an unknown language (Geronimi et al., 1951, 0:32:33). In this interaction there is a clear and deliberate distinction between the two characters’ backgrounds and associated cultural norms and values.
Alice’s cultural background as a young, intelligent English aristocrat shows early on through her initial respectful and gallant approach towards the “other” by addressing the Caterpillar as sir and being polite and composed despite the Caterpillar’s disrespectful attitude (Geronimi et al., 1951, 0:32:43). Alice, knowing well that she is the “interloper,” keeps her frustration down and speaks politely. The Caterpillar’s most striking cultural identifier is his hookah, usually associated in English minds with the Middle East (Power et al., 2023). In this case, the exotic and mysterious strangeness is supposed to mirror the popularly perceived image of an Arabian person. His relaxed and slightly disrespectful attitude towards Alice and how he quickly loses his temper are uncomfortable for Alice and represent her perception of the foreign. It is also speaking of her inability to grasp Caterpillar’s cultural norms and values.
However, it is worth noting that this image of the Caterpillar is more telling about Alice’s cultural norms and values coming from the culture of colonizers and viewing others from this perspective. The Caterpillar is a shocking figure due to his otherness being shown through constant changes in mood and in form, causing persistent discomfort in Alice. His behavior is foreign to Alice, and she is uncertain how to approach and interpret it (Power et al., 2023). For a child from an aristocratic English family with the ideals of respect, dignity, and active attitude, facing a character who is the total opposite of these cultural norms and values is striking and uncomfortable. This encounter is, therefore, a prominent example of Lewis Carroll’s and the film authors’ masterful representation of a cultural conflict.
References
Geronimi, C. (Director), Jackson, W. (Director), & Luske, H. (Director). (1951). Alice in Wonderland [film]. Walt Disney Productions.
Power, A. J., Albawab, E. I., & Muwafi, D. W. (2023). Encountering the Foreign in Alice in Wonderland and its Arabic Translations. International Journal of Arabic-English Studies, 23(1). 45–62. Web.