Alice's Adventures in Wonderland · Character
White King
- Supporting
- First seen · Book 2 · Ch. 1
The White King has the fragile air of someone trying to keep both his thoughts and his crown from slipping away. Ash-dusted and preoccupied with his memorandum-book, he seems gentle, nervous, and faintly overwhelmed by the world around him.
- Gender
- male
- Age
- adult
- First appears
- Book 2 · Ch. 1
- Books
- 1
The White King first appears as a chess piece on the table, beside the White Queen, covered in ashes and absorbed in a memorandum-book. In the Looking-Glass world he is a trembling, easily flustered king, still turning to his notes as though they might help him make sense of things. His precarious crown and anxious manner make him a charmingly vulnerable presence among the more forceful figures of the chessboard.
Description
The White King has the compact, stylized form of a white chess piece, with an adult monarch’s crown perched above him. The crown seems almost too loose, ready to shake off as he trembles. Ashes dust his figure, and he carries a memorandum-book that he is often seen writing in, even when seated on the ground. His posture and expression suggest a mild, nervous, distracted presence. The White King is a small chess-piece king, with a crown that nearly shakes off his head when he trembles. He is seen seated on the ground or on the edge of a shovel, sometimes covered in ashes; his precise coloring, face, and build are otherwise unspecified. A memorandum-book, a bag of hay, and sandwiches are associated with him, giving his royal appearance an eccentric, practical clutter. His overall presence is nervous and fussy, with a fragile dignity that seems to wobble along with his crown.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals
White Queenconflicting source relationships
They are the royal couple. The Queen rushes to rescue their child Lily, knocking the King into the ashes, and later they speak together anxiously.
- L
Lilyfather and daughter
Lily is the White King's child; the King and Queen speak of her as their daughter.
Aliceconflicting source relationships
Alice cannot be seen or heard by the King, but gently lifts and dusts him after he falls into the ashes.
Humpty Dumptyconflicting source relationships
Humpty Dumpty says the White King and Queen gave him his cravat as an un-birthday present; he also boasts that the King promised to have him put back together if he fell.
Haighaconflicting source relationships
Haigha serves as one of the White King’s two messengers, assigned to carry messages to the town; the King also relies on him for food and assistance.
- H
Hattaconflicting source relationships
Hatta serves as the White King’s other messenger, assigned to fetch and carry. The King questions him about the town and the fight.
Red Kingopposing monarchs in the chess world
They represent opposing sides of the chessboard’s royal world; in this excerpt, the White King is active while the Red King is asleep.
- L
Lionconflicting source relationships
The Lion fights the Unicorn for the crown, which the White King says is his. The King is nervous around the Lion and tries to prevent their quarrels from escalating.
- U
Unicornconflicting source relationships
The Unicorn fights the Lion for the White King’s crown and speaks casually to the King about the contest. The King is visibly nervous around the Unicorn.
Story so far
BOOK 2Through The Looking Glass
Key events
- Book 2
Ch. 2Alice Enters the Looking-GlassAlice steps through the looking-glass into a mirrored world where everything is reversed and chess pieces come to life. - Book 2
Ch. 8The Lion and Unicorn BattleAlice witnesses the Lion and Unicorn fighting over the White King's crown in a comic, ceremonial battle that pauses for refreshments.
Gallery
Book 2: Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There
Appearances
Meet White King in Bookworm
Meet White King in your EPUB — spoiler-safe to the book you're on.