“ Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife—what's the answer to that? . . . Bread-and-butter, of course. ”
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass (1871). copy citation
| Author | Lewis Carroll |
|---|---|
| Source | Through the Looking-Glass |
| Topic | logic bread |
| Date | 1871 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12/12-h/12-h.htm |
Context
“'She can't do Addition,' the Red Queen interrupted. 'Can you do Subtraction? Take nine from eight.'
'Nine from eight I can't, you know,' Alice replied very readily: 'but—' 'She can't do Subtraction,' said the White Queen. 'Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife—what's the answer to that?'
'I suppose—' Alice was beginning, but the Red Queen answered for her. 'Bread-and-butter, of course. Try another Subtraction sum. Take a bone from a dog: what remains?'
Alice considered. 'The bone wouldn't remain, of course, if I took it—and the dog wouldn't remain; it would come to bite me—and I'm sure I shouldn't remain!'” source
'Nine from eight I can't, you know,' Alice replied very readily: 'but—' 'She can't do Subtraction,' said the White Queen. 'Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife—what's the answer to that?'
'I suppose—' Alice was beginning, but the Red Queen answered for her. 'Bread-and-butter, of course. Try another Subtraction sum. Take a bone from a dog: what remains?'
Alice considered. 'The bone wouldn't remain, of course, if I took it—and the dog wouldn't remain; it would come to bite me—and I'm sure I shouldn't remain!'” source
Meaning and analysis
