101 Famous Quotes from Alice in Wonderland Compiled by Tuula Olin Illustrated by Upi Olin

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Foreword Conversations and funny responses in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland tale have always intrigued me. When I was a little girl I used to underline my favorite phrases and memorize them. I often amazed my mum and dad with the witty lines that I picked up from my collection. Now I have compiled the best 101 intriguing and hilarious phrases and conversations from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass tales into this book. My artist son has kindly provided me with beautiful illustrations. Now you can quickly find that clever AliceQuotation for any purpose. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Tuula Olin March 2009 in Brisbane, Australia “What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?”

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Contents

101 Quotes and Conversations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Alice in Wonderland History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Jabberwocky poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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101 Quotes and Conversations

1. What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations? –Alice

2. Curiouser and curiouser! –Alice

3. Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense. -Mock Turtle

4. I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see. –Alice

5. Why is a raven like a writing desk? -Mad Hatter

6. Keep your temper! -Caterpillar

7. I don't believe there's an atom of meaning in it. –Alice

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8. `DRINK ME' –Marked on the bottle

9. Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves. -Duchess

10. But then, shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a comfort, one way -- never to be an old woman -- but then - always to have lessons to learn! –Alice

11. A cat may look at a king. I've read that in some book, but I don't remember where. –Alice

12. ’EAT ME' -written on a small cake

13. If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does. -Duchess

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14. We called him Tortoise because he taught us.

-Mock Turtle

15. Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin; but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I’ve seen in my life!

–Alice

16. You're enough to try the patience of an oyster! -Crab

17. But it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then. -Alice

18. Alice and Cheshire Cat: Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to. Alice: I don't much care where. Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.

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Alice: …so long as I get somewhere. Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.

19. Alice and Cheshire Cat: Cheshire Cat: By- The - Bye, what became of the baby? I'd nearly forgotten to ask. Alice: It turned into a pig. Cheshire Cat: I thought it would.

20. Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin. –Alice

21. You insult me by talking such nonsense! –Mouse

22. We're all mad here.

- Cheshire Cat

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23. Alice and Cheshire Cat: Alice: But I don't want to go among mad people. Cheshire Cat: Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad. Alice: How do you know I'm mad? Cheshire Cat: You must be. Or you wouldn't have come here. Alice: And how do you know that you're mad? Cheshire Cat: To begin with, a dog's not mad. You grant that? Alice: I suppose so. Cheshire Cat: Well, then, you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.

24. There's a large mustard-mine near here. And the moral of that is -- The more there is of mine, the less there is of yours.

-Duchess

25. Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you're at.

-Mad Hatter

26. Does YOUR watch tell you what year it is? -Mad Hatter

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27. It was much pleasanter at home, when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits. –Alice

28. Alice and Mad Hatter: Alice: I've had nothing yet, so I can't take more. Mad Hatter: You mean you can't take less; it's very easy to take more than nothing.

29. Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it. -Duchess

30. Oh, my fur and whiskers! -White Rabbit

31. Off with her head!

-Queen of Hearts

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32. Be what you would seem to be -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise. -Duchess

33. I think I should understand that better, if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it. –Alice

34. That's nothing to what I could say if I chose. -Duchess

35. Alice and the Duchess: Alice: I didn't know that Cheshire cats always grinned; in fact, I didn't know that cats could grin. Duchess: You don't know much; and that's a fact. - 10 -

36. The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday -- but never jam today. -White Queen

37. Speak English! I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and I don't believe you do either! -Eaglet

38. What is the use of repeating all that stuff, if you don't explain it as you go on? It's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard! -Mock Turtle

39. Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!

-White Rabbit

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40. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle! –Alice

41. Worrity, worrity! Can’t you leave a body alone? - TheWasp

42. If it had grown up, it would have made a dreadfully ugly child; but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think. –Alice

43. Now, I give you fair warning, either you or your head must be off, and that in about half no time! Take your choice! -Queen of Hearts

44. Sentence first -- verdict afterwards. -Queen of Hearts

45. Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop. –King of Hearts

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46. I'm very brave generally, only today I happen to have a headache. –Tweedledum

47. Alice and Mad Hatter Alice: I don't think— Mad Hatter: Then you shouldn't talk!

48. If I eat one of these cakes, it's sure to make SOME change in my size; and as it can't possibly make me larger, it must make me smaller, I suppose. –Alice

49. Alice and March Hare: March Hare: Have some wine. (Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea.) Alice: I don't see any wine. March Hare: There isn't any. Alice: Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it. March Hare: It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited.

50. Maybe it's always pepper that makes people hot-tempered.

–Alice

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51. Alice and Caterpillar: Caterpillar: Who are YOU? Alice: This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. I -- I hardly know, sir, just at present -- at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.

52. White Queen and Alice: White Queen: Can you do addition? What's one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one? Alice: I don't know. I lost count.

53. Humpty Dumpty and Alice: Humpty Dumpty: When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less. Alice: The question is, whether you can make words mean so many different things. Humpty Dumpty: The question is: which is to be master that's all.

54. Alice and Mock Turtle: Alice: And how many hours a day did you do lessons? Mock Turtle: Ten hours the first day, nine the next, and so on. Alice: What a curious plan!

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55. March Hare, Alice, Mad Hatter and Dormouse: March Hare: …Then you should say what you mean. Alice: I do; at least - at least I mean what I say -- that's the same thing, you know. The Mad Hatter: Not the same thing a bit! Why, you might just as well say that, 'I see what I eat' is the same as 'I eat what I see'! The March Hare: You might just as well say, that "I like what I get" is the same thing as "I get what I like"! The Dormouse: You might just as well say, that "I breathe when I sleep" is the same thing as "I sleep when I breathe"!

56. That's the reason they're called lessons, because they lessen from day to day. –Gryphon

57. The adventures first… explanations take such a dreadful time. -Gryphon

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58. Alice and Mad Hatter: Alice: What a funny watch! It tells the day of the month, and it doesn't tell what o'clock it is! Mad Hatter: Why should it? Does your watch tell you what year it is? Alice: Of course not, but that's because it stays the same year for such a long time together. Mad Hatter: …which is just the case with mine.

59. King of Hearts, Alice and Queen of Hearts:

King of Hearts: Rule 42: All persons more than a mile high to leave the court. Alice: I am not a mile high. I shan’t go at any rate. Besides, that's not a regular rule: you invented it just now.' King of Hearts: It's the oldest rule in the book. Alice: Then it ought to be Number One!

60. Alice and Dormouse: Dormouse: You've got no right to grow here. Alice: Don't talk nonsense. You know you're growing too. Dormouse: Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace, not in that ridiculous fashion.

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61. You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. –Duchess

62. Caterpillar and Alice: Caterpillar: What size do you want to be? Alice: Oh, I'm not particular as to size, only one doesn't like changing so often, you know.

63. Tweedledum and Tweedledee:

Tweedledum: If you think we're waxworks, you ought to pay, you know. Tweedledee: Contrariwise, if you think we're alive you ought to speak.

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64. Alice and Pigeon: Alice: But I'm NOT a serpent, I tell you! I'm a -- I'm a -Pigeon: Well! WHAT are you? I can see you're trying to invent something! Alice: I -- I'm a little girl. Pigeon: A likely story indeed! I've seen a good many little girls in my time, but never ONE with such a neck as that! No, no! You're a serpent; and there's no use denying it. I suppose you'll be telling me next that you never tasted an egg!

65. It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards.

-White Queen

66. Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that! - White Queen

67. Speak when you're spoken to! -Red Queen

68. It's MY opinion that you never think AT ALL. –Rose

69. Queen of Hearts, Alice and King of Hearts: The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment - 18 -

like a wild beast, screamed `Off with her head! Off— `Nonsense!' said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent. The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said `Consider, my dear: she is only a child!'

70. Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. -White Queen

71. What a curious feeling! I must be shutting up like a telescope. –Alice

72. They're dreadfully fond of beheading people here; the great wonder is, that there's any one left alive! –Alice

73. A loaf of bread, the Walrus said. Is what we chiefly need: Pepper and vinegar besides are very good indeed -Now, if you're ready, Oysters, dear, we can begin to feed!

–Walrus

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74. If you're going to turn into a pig, my dear, I'll have nothing more to do with you. –Alice

75. Let's try Geography. London is the capital of Paris, and Paris is the capital of Rome, and Rome - no, that's all wrong, I'm certain! I must have been changed for Mabel! –Alice 76. Oh, there goes his PRECIOUS nose!

-Alice when Duchess throws pots and pans

77. White Rabbit, Pat and Bill the Lizard: Pat: Here, Bill! The master says you're to go down the chimney! Alice gives Bill one sharp kick and the crowd yells: There goes Bill! White Rabbit: Catch him, you by the hedge! White Rabbit: How was it, old fellow? What happened to you? Bill: I'm better now--but I'm a deal too flustered to tell you--all I know is, something comes at me like a Jack-in-the-box, and up I goes like a sky-rocket!

78. Curtsey while you're thinking what to say, it saves time.

–Red Queen

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79. Well, after such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs. –Alice

80. I can't go no lower. I'm on the floor, as it is. –Mad Hatter

81. The best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race. –

Dodo

82. It is wrong from beginning to end. –Caterpillar

83. Dear, dear! How queer everything is today. -Alice

84. What WILL become of me? -Alice

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85. Good-bye, feet! –Alice

86. Better read it first, for if one drinks much from a bottle marked "Poison", it's almost certain to disagree with one sooner or later. –Alice

87. But do cats eat bats, I wonder? –Alice

88. There ought to be a book written about me, that there ought! –Alice

89. If you don't know what to uglify is, you ARE a simpleton.

–Gryphon

90. Caterpillar and Alice: Caterpillar: One side will make you grow taller... and the other side will make you grow shorter. Alice: One side of what? The other side of what? Caterpillar: THE MUSHROOM!

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91. Oh dear, what nonsense I'm talking!' –Alice

92. If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic. –Tweedledee

93. Look up, speak nicely, and don't twiddle your fingers all the time. -Red Queen

94. Alice and the Frog-Footman: Alice: How am I to get in? Frog-Footman: ARE you to get in at all? That's the first question.

95. If you don't hold your tongues, I'll pick you!'

-Alice to the daisies

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96. King of Hearts and Alice King of Hearts: What do you know about this business? Alice: Nothing. King of Hearts: Nothing whatever? Alice: Nothing whatever! King of Hearts: That's very important!

97. It’s the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life.

–Alice

98. Red Queen after Alice has explained that she has lost her way: Red Queen: I don’t know what you mean by YOUR way? All the ways about here belong to ME!

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99. I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth! How funny it’ll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downward! –Alice

100. Why, there's hardly enough of me left to make ONE respectable person! -Alice

101. You're nothing but a pack of cards!

–Alice

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History The Author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, alias Lewis Carroll (1832-1898). "Lewis Carroll" was the pseudonym that Charles Lutwidge Dodgson created by translating his first and middle names into Latin, reversing their order, and translating them back into English. This happened in 1856 after he had begun writing humorous texts and stories to keep them separate from his serious mathematical writings which he published under his real name. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on Jan. 27, 1832. His early years were happy with his nine sisters and two brothers to whom he frequently made up games and wrote stories. His school years at Rugby (1846-1849) were not so happy because he was shy and often sick. But he was still recognized as a good scholar, and in 1850 he was admitted to Christ Church College in Oxford. He graduated in 1854, and was appointed a mathematical lecturer at the college the following year. This appointment was permanent and recognized his academic superiority which also brought him financial security. The appointment meant that Dodgson had to take orders from the Anglican Church and not get married. In 1861 he was ordained a deacon. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, more widely known as Lewis Carroll, died of pneumonia suddenly and unexpectedly in January 1898.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland In 1856 Dodgson met Lorina, Alice and Edith Liddell, daughters of Henry George Liddell, the Dean of Christ Church College in Oxford. During the next few years he spent a lot of time with the girls, photographed them and made up stories for them. On July 4, 1862, Dodgson was travelling on a boat to go to a picnic with a friend, Reverend Robinson Duckworth, and the Liddell girls. To keep the girls entertained Dodgson told them a story of a girl named Alice and her magical adventures under ground. Alice’s sisters appeared in the story as well. The girls loved the story, and Alice Liddell asked Dodgson to write it down for her. On 26 November 1864 Dodgson gave Alice the manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground. But before that Dodgson had given the unfinished manuscript to his mentor George MacDonald. His children loved the story and MacDonald advised Dodgson to publish it. Before submitting it to publication Dodgson was fortunate to have the famous illustrator John Tenniel to draw the illustrations for it. He also decided on the name “Lewis Carroll” which would become his author name. The manuscript was re-titled Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. - 26 -

In June 1865, Dodgson's tale was published as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by "Lewis Carroll" with illustrations by John Tenniel. The first print run was only 2,000 copies and it sold out quickly. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was a publishing sensation being printed edition after edition. The book has reached children all over the world since it has been translated into 125 languages. Although in the Hunan Province of China the book was banned in 1931 because it portrayed animals acting on the same level as humans. The book is commonly referred to by the abbreviated title Alice in Wonderland. It has become one of the most famous children's books of all time, one that appeals to children as well as adults. The story tells what happens to a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbithole into a fantasy world which is populated by peculiar creatures and objects that come alive and have a personality, like talking playing cards. Alice in Wonderland does not contain obvious moralizing tales like so many children's books nowadays do. It is a delightful adventure story in which a clever, little girl takes on and conquers absurdities of the world.

Through the Looking Glass and the Lost Chapter Lewis Carroll was encouraged by the success of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and he wrote a sequel, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. It was published in 1872, and it is generally categorized as literary nonsense. Through the Looking Glass has a chess game theme whereas Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has a playing card theme. This is easily explained for Lewis Carroll was very fond of logic games and he often invented new games himself. In this sequel Alice continues to experience the alternate world, this time reaching it by going through a looking glass. Alice meets various nursery rhyme characters, like Tweeledum and Tweedledee, Humpty Dumpty as well as kings, queens, horses and other chess pawns. The story is also full of poems, some of which have gained huge popularity. Most famous of them is the Jabberwocky poem. Before publishing the book Carroll Lewis curiously decided to leave out one scene, which describes Alice's encounter with a wasp wearing a yellow wig. This chapter was titled “The Wasp in a Wig”. There is evidence that Carroll Lewis made this decision after receiving a letter from his illustrator, John Tenniel. In this letter, which is dated June 1, 1870, Tenniel wrote:

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” …I am bound to say that the "wasp" chapter doesn't interest me in the least, and I can’t see my way to a picture. If you want to shorten the book, I can’t help thinking – with all submission – that there is your opportunity.”1 This section was missing for many years and only surfaced after the sale of the author's personal effects at Sotheby’s Auction House in 1974. The rediscovered chapter included a full, previously unpublished poem. This was a great discovery for all Carroll Lewis followers and fans of Alice and her adventures.

Alice Liddell Alice Pleasance Liddell was born on May 4th 1852, to Henry George Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and his wife Lorina Hanna. Alice was the fourth of their 10 children. She had two older brothers and an older sister. She also had six younger siblings. Two of her brothers died young. Alice grew up primarily in the company of the two sisters nearest to her in age: Lorina, who was three years older, and Edith, who was two years younger. In 1880 Alice married at the age of 28. They had three sons but unfortunately two of them, Alan Knyveton Hargreaves and Leopold Reginald Hargreaves, were killed in World War I. Caryl Liddell Hargreaves was the only surviving son who was to give Alice her only grandchild, a girl. Alice was an educated woman and she lived the life of a land-lady. She was also an enthusiastic painter. After the death of husband Reginald Hargreaves Alice sold her manuscript of "Alice's Adventures Under Ground" in Sotheby’s auction house in 1928. It was bought by an American who paid 15,400 pounds for it. That was an enormous amount of money in those days. In 1932, at the age of 80, Alice published her own memoirs and two years later, on 15 November 1934, she died in Westerham, Kent.

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Wikipedia - 28 -

JABBERWOCKY `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. `Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!' He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought -So rested he by the Tumtum gree, And stood awhile in thought. And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wook, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. `And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay! He chortled in his joy. `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

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