"When we were little," the Mock Turtle explained, "we went to school in the sea, with an old Turtle as our teacher, whom we called Tortoise." This highlights the whimsical and fantastical nature of the story, where animals and humans interact in unusual settings. The Mock Turtle's nostalgic tone reflects a childhood memory filled with oddities and the charm of Wonderland's surreal world.

Alice questions why he called the teacher Tortoise if he wasn't one, prompting the Mock Turtle to clarify that they called him Tortoise because he was their teacher, not because he was actually a turtle. This exchange emphasizes the playful logic of Wonderland, where names and identities often have humorous or nonsensical explanations, contributing to the story’s whimsical tone.