Tis so,' said the Duchess: 'and the moral of that is- "Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!"' 'Somebody said,' Alice whispered, 'that it's done by everybody minding their own business!''Ah, well! It means much the same thing,' said the Duchess.
The Duchess in Lewis Carroll's book quotes a saying that love is the driving force behind everything in the world, emphasizing its importance with the line, "Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!" She presents this as a moral. Alice then comments privately that some believe the world functions simply because everyone focuses on their own affairs, suggesting a different perspective on how things operate.
The Duchess acknowledges Alice's idea, implying that focusing on individual matters might be similar in effect to love in maintaining order. The dialogue highlights contrasting views on what motivates and sustains the world—either love or individual self-interest—reflecting the whimsical and philosophical tone characteristic of the story. Both opinions explore different explanations for the workings of society and human nature.
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Other quotes in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Other quotes in book quote
All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
