Through the Looking Glass

P: How has Carroll shaped the idea that Alice has gone into a mirrored world?

R: As I have continued reading I have found some very clever and literal means as to showing Alice has walked through a mirror and other more obscure means of relating this idea to readers. To begin with Alice pulls a book off of a table to find inside a poem titled "YKCOWREBBAJ" continuing along with more nonsensical words that she can't seem to make out. Finally she realizes that, "it's a Looking-glass book of course! And if I hold it up to a glass, the words will all go the right way again" (p. 164). The poem was, in fact, titled "JABBERWOKY" which had simply been printed backwards. Alice then intends to walk down the stairs but finds herself floating upside down with her fingers lightly placed on the handrail as she travels to the bottom floor. Alice also finds that walking the opposite direction of where you intend to go is the only way to arrive at your destination in the mirrored world. These are some examples of the literal translation through the looking glass, however, there are still some component to the make believe world that seem to be added simply for the sake of creating a more interesting imaginary world. For example, talking flowers are in no way some example of a backwards real world concept but simply and interesting attribution to Alice's imaginary creation. Carroll does continue to add clever examples though in instances such as when Alice attempts to cut a cake but finds instead that she must first pass the whole cake around and then cut it into slices for the action to follow through.