Joey Saves The Day!: Facts about Lewis Carroll

Learn Interesting Facts about

Lewis Carroll.

This week’s famous poet is Lewis Carroll. Last week’s famous poet was Oscar Wilde.

Lewis Carroll, a name synonymous with imagination and innovation, was a multifaceted individual known not only as a poetic genius but also as a prolific author and a skilled mathematician. Born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on January 27, 1832, in the picturesque village of Daresbury, Cheshire, England, he was the eldest son in a large family, with ten siblings who played significant roles in his life.

His early interest in writing and storytelling blossomed during his childhood, where he developed a penchant for creating enchanting tales and whimsical poetry. Carroll’s work is characterized by its rich imagery, clever wordplay, and a playful approach to logic and language, which has earned him a permanent place in the canon of children's literature.

His most famous works, including "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass," showcase his exceptional ability to craft fantastical worlds and quirky characters that continue to capture the hearts and minds of readers across generations. Beyond his literary contributions, Carroll's background in mathematics and logic significantly influenced his writing style, resulting in a unique blend of fantasy and reason that has intrigued scholars and fans alike.

Carroll's legacy endures not only through his notable poems and narratives but also in the way they provoke thought and imagination, ensuring that his stories remain timeless and universally cherished. His distinctive blend of creativity and intellect marks him as a true luminary in the literary world.

Here is a list of some poems by Lewis Carroll:

Jabberwocky
My Fairy
Lays Of Sorrow
Four Riddles
Echoes
A Nursery Darling
My Fancy
Life Is But A Dream

Parents and caretakers, please ensure that the poems are child-friendly before reading them to your child or children.

Interesting facts about Lewis Carroll:

1. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on January 27, 1832, in the quaint village of Daresbury, located in Cheshire, England. He came into the world as the eldest son in a large family, which would later influence his writings and storytelling. Daresbury, renowned for its picturesque landscapes and charming countryside, provided a serene backdrop for his early years, helping to spark his imagination. Dodgson would go on to gain fame as a writer, mathematician, logician, and photographer, but his most enduring legacy remains the beloved children's stories he authored, including "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

2. Lewis Carroll, the renowned author and mathematician, was 65 years old at the time of his death. He passed away on January 14, 1898, after a brief but severe illness. The cause of his death was pneumonia, which had developed as a complication from influenza. Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, left a lasting legacy through his literary works, most notably "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass." Following his death, he was laid to rest in Mount Cemetery, located in the picturesque town of Guildford, Surrey, England. His gravestone remains a point of interest for fans and scholars alike, commemorating the life of a man who enchanted readers with his imagination and wit.

3. The following is one of Lewis Carroll’s poems:

Acrostic

Little maidens, when you look

On this little story-book,

Reading with attentive eye

Its enticing history,

Never think that hours of play

Are your only HOLIDAY,

And that in a HOUSE of joy

Lessons serve but to annoy:

If in any HOUSE you find

Children of a gentle mind,

Each the others pleasing ever—

Each the others vexing never—

Daily work and pastime daily

In their order taking gaily—

Then be very sure that they

Have a life of HOLIDAY.

(You can print out a worksheet on this poem. You will fill in the missing words in the poem.)

4. As a child, Lewis Carroll, born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, experienced a significant illness that profoundly impacted his life. He contracted a severe fever that resulted in permanent hearing loss in one ear, a challenge that would accompany him into adulthood. This condition likely contributed to his developing a noticeable stutter, which affected his speech and communication with others.

Interestingly, some scholars and enthusiasts suggest that his struggles with stuttering influenced his decision to create the character of the Dodo in his renowned work, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." The Dodo, a whimsical and somewhat absurd bird, echoes Dodgson's own name—Do Do Dodgson—adding a layer of personal significance to the character. This connection is seen by many as a reflection of Carroll's ability to transform his own challenges into imaginative storytelling.

5. Lewis Carroll also wrote over 8 books on Mathematics. Here is a list of some of those books:

The Fifth Book of Euclid Treated Algebraically
Symbolic Logic Part I
Symbolic Logic Part II
A Syllabus of Plane Algebraic Geometry
The Alphabet Cipher
The Game of Logic

6. Not only did Lewis Carroll write poetry, but he also wrote children’s stories. Here is a list of some of those stories:

Alice in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures Underground
Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

7. Lewis Carroll had ten siblings. Here is a list of his siblings’ names:

Frances Jane
Elizabeth Lucy
Caroline Hume
Mary Charlotte
Skeffington Hume
Wilfred Longley
Louisa Fletcher
Margaret Anne Ashley
Henrietta Harrington
Edwin Heron

8. Lewis Carroll, originally named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, had an unconventional early education as he was homeschooled until the age of approximately twelve. His lessons were primarily conducted by his father, allowing him to learn at his own pace and focus on subjects that intrigued him. In his twelfth year, he transitioned to formal schooling and enrolled at Richmond Grammar School, located in Richmond, North Yorkshire. This marked a significant change in his life, as he was exposed to a more structured educational environment and peer interactions.

In 1846, Carroll took another important step in his academic journey by attending Rugby School, one of England's most prestigious institutions. Here, he spent three formative years, during which he developed a love for literature, mathematics, and the arts. The rigorous academic culture at Rugby helped shape his intellectual abilities and would influence his future writings, paving the way for his later achievements as an author and mathematician.

9. In the year 1891, the famous author and mathematician Lewis Carroll, best known for his beloved children’s books "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass," created an innovative device called a nyctograph. This clever invention was designed to enable him to read and write even in the dark, addressing the limitations of traditional writing tools that required light. The nyctograph consisted of a simple slate and a specially designed stylus, allowing Carroll to make marks and take notes during the night without disturbing his surroundings. This invention reflected both his inventive spirit and his desire to explore the world of words, even in the absence of light.