Introduction
The White Queen tells this riddling verse to Alice without explanation. What kind of fish is it that is being served?
The key points to note are: it is an item of seafood; it is easy to catch; each one is very cheap to buy; it comes in a dish ready for cooking; and you can’t easily prise off the lid of the dish.
“FIRST, the fish must be caught.”
That is easy: a baby, I think, could have caught it.
“Next, the fish must be bought.”
That is easy: a penny, I think, would have bought it.
“Now cook me the fish!”
That is easy, and will not take more than a minute.
“Let it lie in a dish!”
That is easy, because it already is in it.
“Bring it here! Let me sup!”
It is easy to set such a dish on the table.
“Take the dish-cover up!”
Ah, that is so hard that I fear I’m unable!
For it holds it like glue —
Holds the lid to the dish, while it lies in the middle:
Which is easiest to do,
Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle?
Submitted by a reader of ‘Fun’ (October, 1878), and acknowledged by Carroll.
Get an oyster-knife strong,
Insert it ’twixt cover and dish in the middle;
Then you shall before long,
Un-dish-cover the OYSTERS — dishcover the riddle!
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
In Lewish Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking Glass’, the White Queen tells Alice a riddle in verse about catching, buying and serving some seafood. Carroll does not provide the solution, but as the seafood is simple to catch, cheap to buy, and already supplied with a serving-dish that is difficult to prise open, it seems likely to be an oyster. (59 / 60 words)
In Lewish Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking Glass’, the White Queen tells Alice a riddle in verse about catching, buying and serving some seafood. Carroll does not provide the solution, but as the seafood is simple to catch, cheap to buy, and already supplied with a serving-dish that is difficult to prise open, it seems likely to be an oyster.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, besides, despite, if, or, ought, until, whereas.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Cook. Cover. Minute.
2 I. Note. Point.
3 Ah. Than. Very.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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