A representation of hierarchy is always presented everywhere, whether in real life or even in fictional movies.
In the movie, Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton, characters create a strong division between the proletariat (the lower class) and the bourgeoisie (the upper class). Lower class is presented as poor, uneducated, hardworking while upper class is described as wealth, educated and literally the opposite meaning of lower class. Alice, in the movie is classified as a member of the upper class society whereas she is always being presented in a way women in upper class dress, act, and speak. However, as the movie continues, she is expected to protect the working class from the Queen of Hearts, which is ironic as she supposed to unjustly treat the creatures. Thus, a class system exists in Wonderland which is the inequality of the two classes that leads to the oppression of the working class.Inequality represents a hierarchy that alienates the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
The characters in the movie belong in a social class that is shown through the character. The characters that Alice meets in the beginning seem to be grouped as the working class. For instance, the white rabbit, the frog, the pig, and other animals are illustrated as a member of the lower class society. The frog eats the Queen of Hearts’ tart, and he gets killed. The pig, the monkey, the hedgehog and the flamingo are used as instruments or tools in the movie. The Queen of Hearts is an oppressive ruler and she shows no mercy to these creatures. This demonstrates the working life of someone in the lower class society and how powerless they are.
The frog eats her tart as suppose that he is very hungry and poor. The other animals that are treated like tools, shows how they are being manipulated and controlled by the bourgeoisie. As well as the other creatures are not only physically dominated, but they also have the mind set of meeting the Queen of Hearts’ needs and requests.
Thus, they are continually being persecuted as they are lack of defiance and objection which establishes their lack of power. Later in the movie, Alice meets the Queen of Hearts who is the persecutor, the ruler of Wonderland and a member of the upper class society. The upper class is the dominant and the authority in Wonderland, hence they are powerful.
The Queen of Hearts is a representation of dehumanization of the proletariat, her big head symbolizes her ego and power, so is her attitude. Throughout the movie, the Queen keeps saying “off with their heads” which literally means killing. Although she is educated and knowledgeable, but she relies on her authority and power to make others do everything for her. She is crazy and overcomes with power, portraying the upper class as dazed with the capability and striving to control everything. The working class have no choice, no opportunity, and no say in how the society run in Wonderland. Overall, the upper class symbolizes the dominance and superiority in between classes and the lower class are the followers and they are the submissive citizen in the movie.
In conclusion, the alienation between the two classes is due to the fact that the proletariat are being silenced by the bourgeoisie. As a result, this division reflects with the social institution and ideology function of individuals. Hence, the bourgeoisie are the puppet masters and the proletariat are the puppets whose being bent by the constant control of the upper class. The lower class not only beseech for their freedom, but they are also abhorred. The Queen of Hearts symbolically defined as a nefarious leader whose absolute power comes from absolute corrupt.
