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In Lewis Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Hatter's famous riddle - "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" - has no answer.
"Have you guessed the riddle yet?" the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.
"No, I give it up," Alice replied. "What's the answer?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," said the Hatter.
"Nor I," said the March Hare.
Alice sighed wearily. "I think you might do something better with the time," she said, "than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers."
When he wrote the book, Carroll had no answer for the riddle either, nor did he intend there to be one. However, over subsequent years, so many people asked him the answer that in the preface to the 1896 edition he wrote:
"Enquiries have been so often addressed to me, as to whether any answer to the Hatter's Riddle can be imagined, that I may as well put on record here what seems to me to be a fairly appropriate answer, viz: 'Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!' This, however, is merely an afterthought; the riddle as originally invented, had no answer at all."
(Note that he spells "nevar" as "raven" written backwards - a joke which overenthusiastic copy editors "corrected" in later editions.)
Carroll is not the only person to offer an answer after the fact, other solutions have also been given, the best known being, "because Poe wrote on both." Other suggestions include, "because there is a 'b' in both and an 'n' in neither," and "because they both have inky quills."
It has been claimed that Carroll is satirizing philosophical paradoxes and riddles. As a logician he may be poking fun at our need for an answer to every question. In reality it is not a riddle at all, but a pseudo-problem masquerading as a riddle. He believed that most riddles are fallacious because they lead the reader to believe that such events are possible or even answerable.
Ultimately, it could be true to say that the real answer to the question is that there is no answer.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
This riddle is famously posed by the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Ultimately, Carroll admitted that he did not intend for there to be a definitive answer to this question, as it was meant to illustrate the whimsical and nonsensical nature of Wonderland.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe famous riddle is, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this; but all he SAID was, `Why is a raven like a writing-desk?'
`Come, we shall have some fun now!' thought Alice. `I'm glad they've begun asking riddles.--I believe I can guess that,' she added aloud.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoLewis Carroll first posed this question in his book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It is asked by the Hatter.
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What is one quote Alice says in Alice in Wonderland?
At the end she says," Hatter, how is a raven like a writing desk?"And then he says," I haven't the slightest idea!"
Who was asked a question by the Mad Hatter in the book Alice in Wonderland?
Alice was asked several riddles by the Mad Hatter at the tea party in the book Alice in Wonderland.
What was the answer to the Mad Hatter's riddle in Alice in Wonderland?
Presuming you mean, Why is a Raven like a writing desk? There was no "real" answer... however a potential solution to the riddle is, They were both used by Edgar Allen Poe in his writing.
What was Johnny Depp's last line in Alice in Wonderland?
It was when Alice asked him, "Hey, why is a raven like a writing desk?" and the Mad Hatter answered," I haven't the slightest idea." Then he whispered something to Alice I couldn't make it out but I think he said "Farewell, Alice".
What is the explanation for the the answer 'because there is a B in both and an N in neither' to the question 'why is a raven like a writing desk'?
The answer given by Lewis Carroll in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is meant to highlight the absurdity of asking questions without clear answers. It plays on the idea that both the raven and the writing desk have similar sounds in their names, but in reality, they do not share any meaningful similarities. It demonstrates the nonsensical and whimsical nature of Wonderland.
What was the Riddle the Mad Hatter asked?
No. In the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland the Queen of Hearts is present when the Hatter gives his evidence at the trial of the Knave of Hearts, but he doesn't speak to her.
Is why is a raven like a writing desk rhetorical?
Yes, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" is a famous riddle posed by the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." It was meant to be a nonsensical and unanswerable question, making it a classic example of a rhetorical question.
What did the Hatter whisper to Alice at the end of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland?
The Hatter says, "fairfarren" which means "farewell - may you travel under fair skies" in Outlandish, which is an imaginary language spoken in the Outlands of Underland and adopted by the underground resistance as a secret code in the revolution against the Red Queen.
How is a raven like a rightingdesk?
Eger Allen poe. Eger Allen poe wrote a poem called "The Raven" and of course he wrote it on a Writing Desk.
What are some metaphors in Alice in Wonderland?
Some metaphors in "Alice in Wonderland" include the White Rabbit symbolizing time and urgency, the Cheshire Cat representing ambiguity and uncertainty, and the Queen of Hearts embodying uncontrollable anger and irrationality. These metaphors are used to convey deeper themes and messages throughout the story.
What are the answers in the book Alice adventures in wonderlands by Lewis Carroll?
The answers to riddles and puzzles in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" are often intentionally nonsensical or open to interpretation. The whimsical and fantastical nature of the book encourages readers to engage their imagination and think creatively rather than seek concrete solutions.
What does a 2 leaf clover represent?
It means that you need to start flossing with bacon. It's also why a raven is like a writing desk.
