Then you should say what you mean, the March Hare went on.I do, Alice hastily replied; at least-at least I mean what I say-that's the same thing, you know.Not the same thing a bit! said the Hatter. Why, you might just as well say that 'I see what I eat' is the same thing as 'I eat what I see'!You might just as well say, added the March Hare, that 'I like what I get' is the same thing as 'I get what I like'!You might just as well say, added the Dormouse, which seemed to be talking in its sleep, that 'I breathe when I sleep' is the same thing as 'I sleep when I breathe'!It is the same thing with you. said the Hatter
"And you should say what you mean, the March Hare went on."
Alice agrees that she means what she says, but the Hatter insists they are not the same. He compares this to saying "I see what I eat" versus "I eat what I see," implying that words' meaning and the actual action are different. The March Hare and Dormouse contribute examples, emphasizing that similar phrases can have different implications or orders. The conversation illustrates the playful and nonsensical logic typical in Wonderland, where words and meanings are deliberately muddled. The characters challenge understanding, highlighting the whimsical, confusing nature of their world and conversations, as they blur the lines between what is said and what is meant.
