Long time Quote by Lewis Carroll
““Alice had been looking over his shoulder with some curiosity. “What a funny watch!” she remarked. “It tells the day of the month, and doesn’t tell what o’clock it is!” “Why should it?” muttered the Hatter. “Does your watch tell you what year it is?” “Of course not,” Alice replied very readily: “but that’s because it stays the same year for such a long time together.” “Which is just the case with mine,” said the Hatter. Alice felt dreadfully puzzled. The Hatter’s remark seemed to have no meaning in it, and yet it was certainly English. “I don’t quite understand,” she said as politely as she could.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1865
Alice observes a watch that tells the date but not the time, highlighting absurdity and the limits of language.
In simple terms: A nonsensical conversation shows how words can be confusing.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about meaning.
Themes
absurdity
language
confusion
Mood
playful
curious
confused
Type
literary
philosophical
humorous
When to use this quote
- reading literature
- teaching language nuance
- creative writing
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
semantic limits
playful logic
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this dialogue reveal about how we assign meaning?
- How can we recognize when language is intentionally nonsensical?
A Different Perspective
The humor relies on a shared cultural understanding of watches, which may not translate universally.
