'✶~ oneirataxia ~✶'
(n.) the inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality
∙•◦✢◦•∙ A Collection of all things Wonderland ~▪︎~ A mix of short stories, poems, facts, and anything else you'll need to know to dive down the rabbit hole ∙•◦✢◦•∙
The saying, 'mad as a hatter' has existed from before "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was written-
WAIT LEMME JUST PAUSE THIS HERE - I WAS LOOKING AT A WEBSITE FOR THIS(YES, I DID ACTUAL RESEARCH) AND IT-IT-IT CALLED THE MAD HATTER THE SUPERVILLAIN!!!!!!!
WHAT THE ACTUAL WONDERLAND!!
ORTBDGLNKTUNR
I'm in tears its-its just-
This is a sad day, Wonderland.
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Welp, continuing the History lesson-
the saying was used to describe an eccentric person, but it's based on a problem that arose in the 1800s when hat companies used lead in their hat-making process. The lead would get in the wearer's systems and well, they went insane, hence the term 'Mad as a Hatter'
(Also, if you're doing this book for English, it counts as a simile (; )
At the famous (mad) tea party, the Hatter starts a conversation by asking Alice, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" this was originally designed as a question with no answer, admitted by Lewis Carrol himself, but then he went to include an answer in the later editions of the book. If you stick through this history lesson, I'll give you the answer at the end ;).
NEWS FLASH: there was once a rumour that Carroll intended the Hatter to be based on an eccentric furniture dealer from Oxford, Theophilus Carter. I guess the 'eccentric' word fits - I wonder if he ever used one of those hats??
Oh wait - I finished reading the page and there is apparently a comic character based on the Mad Hatter in Batman. What the actual Wonderland?
You may have guessed by now that I am substituting swear words for Wonderland and such. I don't know why, maybe I wore a lead hat-
Another fun fact relating to 'Mad Hatter's Day', the 'in this style 10/6' on the Hatter's hat refers to 10 shillings and 6 pence, as that is how much the hat costs, and later became the month and the day of (respectively) of Mad Hatter's Day. So, Mad Hatter's day was made on the 6th of October, although, as Britain writes their date first, that the month, it should really be the 10th of June, which is when I'll be celebrating it in 3 DAYS!!!!!!!
I've also wondered, it has never been specified if Wonderland (originally called UNderlan, but Alice basically renamed it, saying it was full of so much wonder) has a numerical system or an alphabet, so we'll have to assume so.
Another thought, if for some reason, the date is following the American system and it really is the 6th of October, then one would assume that the rabbit hole took Alice out of Britain, and perhaps to below a continent that uses month/date/year instead. I wonder...
I hope you didn't find this boring - i will be updating it every now and then as i find new information, or as people give me new ideas (feel free to leave a comment - it helps!)
and now for the answer to the riddle
Q: Why is a Raven like a Writing Desk?
A: Because both produce a few notes, though they are very flat and it is 'nevar' put with the wrong end in front!
