Alice's Adventures in Wonderland · Chapter
II: The Pool of Tears explained
Alice, having grown to over nine feet tall, cries in frustration, creating a large pool of tears.
What happens
Alice, having grown to over nine feet tall, cries in frustration, creating a large pool of tears. She then shrinks after picking up the White Rabbit's fan, accidentally dropping the key and slipping into the pool. There, she meets a Mouse and attempts conversation, offending it by mentioning her cat Dinah. They are joined by other wet creatures, and the group swims to shore.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This moment is the emotional and psychological peak because Alice directly confronts the absurd, tyrannical lo…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Growth and Identity
Alice's drastic size changes lead to a crisis of identity, questioning who she is and comparing herself to other girls like Mabel.
- Language and Communication
Alice's attempts to communicate with the Mouse—using formal English, French, and unfortunate topics—highlight the absurdity and difficulty of cross-species dialogue.
Characters to notice
- Alice
Struggles with her changing size and identity, cries a pool of tears, shrinks, and meets the Mouse in the pool.
- The White Rabbit
Appears briefly, splendidly dressed and in a hurry, drops his fan and gloves when startled by Alice.
- The Mouse
Falls into the pool of tears, is offended by Alice's talk of cats and dogs, and agrees to tell his history on shore.
- The Dodo
Mentioned as one of the creatures that has fallen into the pool, swimming to shore with the party.
- The Lory
Mentioned as one of the creatures that has fallen into the pool, swimming to shore with the party.
Key passages
“"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice”
Alice exclaims in surprise at her rapid growth, forgetting proper English.
Highlights her astonishment and the breakdown of normal language.
“"Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle!"”
Alice questions her own identity after her physical transformations.
Central moment of identity crisis triggered by bodily change.
“"I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears!"”
Alice realizes she is swimming in the pool of tears she cried when she was giant.
Illustrates the literal and ironic consequences of her earlier emotions.
