In this excerpt from Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," Alice patches a compliment to the talking flowers, asking how they can speak so nicely. She hopes that praising them might improve their mood. When the Tiger-lily explains that the ground they grow in is hard, Alice is curious and not immediately convinced, but the flower suggests that the softness of typical garden beds causes flowers to sleep. Alice finds this explanation convincing and is pleased to learn something new.

Through this dialogue, Carroll explores the whimsical nature of gardens and the peculiar logic of the talking flowers, highlighting their unique perspective on their environment. Alice's curiosity leads her to understand that the conditions of the garden — specifically, the ground's hardness — influence the flowers' wakefulness and speech, adding to the imaginative and playful tone of the story.