The further off from England the nearer is to France-_x000D_ _x000D_ Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.
Lewis CarrollRead
Crawling at your feet,' said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back in some alarm), `you may observe a Bread-and-Butterfly. Its wings are thin slices of Bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar.' And what does IT live on?' Weak tea with cream in it.' A new difficulty came into Alice's head. `Supposing it couldn't find any?' she suggested. Then it would die, of course.' But that must happen very often,' Alice remarked thoughtfully. It always happens,' said the Gnat.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the fragility of life and the dependencies that determine survival.
In this whimsical exchange from Lewis Carroll's work, the Gnat explains the peculiarities of the 'Bread-and-Butterfly,' a fantastical creature that thrives on specific, delicate sustenance. The conversation ultimately leads Alice to ponder the implications of survival when food sources are scarce, emphasizing a philosophical reflection on existence, reliance on the environment, and the inevitability of death in such scenarios. It highlights how life is sustained by often precarious means and suggests that circumstances beyond one's control can dictate the fate of living beings.
Themes
LifeSurvivalDependencyPhilosophyExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the unpredictability of life during a philosophy class.
More from Lewis Carroll
All quotes βTo the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said 'I've a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head. Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be, Come and dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and me.
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So she was considering in her own mind...whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up & picking the daisies.
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Once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people.
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Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.
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I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.
Lewis CarrollRead
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