I thought I’d do this in an infographic which automatically makes the information far more concise. This is a 30 second read. Suitable for people on the go using their smartphone. But I have added further background information if it interests readers.
In the infographic on ‘What was Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for his grinning Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?‘, I mention the British Shorthair which can have a slightly enigmatic smile. However, the most famous cat breed for ‘smiling’ is France’s Chartreux. This is not a real smile; more an anatomical feature and a nice one.
The origin of the phrase by Michael Broad
Others features of the popular British Shorthair are the silent meow and dense coat. This cat breed has always been popular but not at the very top in 2024. It was one of the first show cats at the beginning of the cat fancy in the UK which is where the cat fancy started.
About Lewis Carroll’s father
As you can see in the Infographic, Lewis Carroll’s father features in the answers to the question. He was the Reverend Charles Dodgson, an Anglian priest. He served as the Archdeacon of Richmond in northern Yorkshire, England at one time. He was known to be a strict man and as a consequence he emphasised morality and the importance of religion.
This contrasted with his son’s imaginative nature as evidenced in Alice in Wonderland.
The reverend came from a large family, one of 11 children. He had a strong influence on his son and encouraged his interests in language, logic and mathematics from an early age.
The relationship between father and son wasn’t an easy one but is likely that his father shaped his son’s development and writing style to some degree.
Lewis Carroll’s mother
In the interests of equality and clarity, I want to touch on some information about Lewis Carol’s mother although she is not featured in the Infographic entitled: What was Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for his grinning Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
His mother was Frances Jane Lutwidge. She was the daughter of a wealthy landowner and she married Charles Dodgson in 1827.
My research indicates that she was a gentle, compassionate and loving mother. This is in contrast to her husband’s strict temperament. She provided a nurturing home environment for the family.
Lewis Carroll was very close to his mother and she greatly encouraged his early creative interests and talents. She was an accomplished artist herself and it is likely that she fostered her son’s artistic sensibilities.
Lewis Carroll had a much warmer and more affectionate relationship with his mother compared to his father. She was an inspiration to him and provide emotional support.
His mother had died of “inflammation of the brain” – perhaps meningitis or a stroke – at the age of 47.
About Lewis Carroll – thanks to Poe an AI bot.
Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was an English writer, mathematician, logician, and photographer who lived from 1832 to 1898.
He is best known as the author of the beloved children’s books “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass.” These fantastical stories, featuring the curious young heroine Alice, have become enduring classics of children’s literature.
In addition to his literary work, Carroll was a talented mathematician and logician. He held a position as a lecturer in mathematics at Christ Church, Oxford University for over 25 years. He published works on recreational mathematics and logic that were influential in their time.
Carroll was an avid amateur photographer, one of the earliest pioneers of the medium. He took thousands of photographic portraits, many of them of children, which were highly regarded for their technical and artistic merits.
Throughout his life, Carroll maintained a fascination with language, wordplay, and the nature of human perception – themes that permeate his literary and mathematical works. His imaginative, nonsensical style has left an indelible mark on English literature and culture.
He had a stammer which he appears to have surmounted because of intelligence and talents.
Accusation of being a paedophile
On Reddit.com there is a post enquiring if Caroll was a paedophile because of his apparent keenness on engaging with young girls. Here is the post. He did photograph young girls and was an accomplished photographer for the time.
