From Page to Pop-Up: A Visual Rhetorical Analysis of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its Three-Dimensional Adaptation

Abstract

With the rise of some innovative means of storytelling, it became necessary to visit storytelling beyond its traditional formats. Examining the visual rhetoric of classical literature and its modern adaptations offers rich insights. The current study analyzes Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland alongside Robert Sabuda's pop-up adaptation, integrating elements from Sonja Foss's (2004) model of visual rhetoric in addition to William Labov's (1972) narrative structure into a framework that addresses the concept of visual rhetoric in addition to aspects of discourse analysis. The analysis reveals some points: First, Sabuda's physical storytelling strategy can enhance the reader's immersion with the story. Secondly, the pop-up adaptation's elements have the effect of adding another layer of interpretation for the original story. Lastly, despite its amusing and immersive aspects, the pop-up adaptation misses the narrative richness found in the original work.