The Mock Turtle's Sorrow

The Mock Turtle's endless tears and melodramatic stories reveal a deep melancholy, yet his grief is dismissed as 'all his fancy' by the Gryphon.

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First Sight of the Mock Turtle

A Weeping Creature The Mock Turtle's Lament Alice sees the Mock Turtle from a distance, sitting on a rock and sighing as if his heart would break. He is a grotesque but pitiable figure, with large eyes full of tears. The Gryphon tells Alice that the Mock Turtle has no real sorrow; it is all his fancy. Yet the Mock Turtle's sobs are genuine, and Alice feels deep sympathy. The Mock Turtle's History The Mock Turtle begins his story, but he is so overcome with emotion that he can barely speak. He reveals that he was once a real turtle and attended school in the sea. His story is punctuated by long silences and sobs, and Alice must wait patiently for him to continue. His sorrow seems to be a permanent state, a performance of grief that he cannot escape.

The School Story

A Melancholy Education The Mock Turtle's Past The Mock Turtle describes his school days in the sea, where he learned Reeling and Writhing, and the branches of Arithmetic: Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. He speaks of these subjects with a mixture of nostalgia and regret, as if his education was both a blessing and a curse. The Gryphon's interjections about his own education in Laughing and Grief only deepen the sense of loss. The Mock Turtle's Yearning The Mock Turtle's voice is heavy with tears as he recounts his lessons. He seems to long for a past that is irretrievable. His story is a parody of Victorian education, but it also carries a genuine pathos. The Mock Turtle is a creature caught between his former life as a real turtle and his current existence as a sad, fictional being.

The Lobster Quadrille

A Dance of Sorrow The Mock Turtle's Performance The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon dance the Lobster Quadrille, a frantic and absurd dance. The Mock Turtle sings a song about a whiting and a snail, urging them to join the dance. Despite the lively tune, the Mock Turtle's performance is tinged with sadness. He moves slowly, and his voice is plaintive. The Song of Beautiful Soup Before the trial interrupts, the Mock Turtle sings "Beautiful Soup," a song about the comfort of soup. The song is a parody of a sentimental Victorian ballad, but the Mock Turtle sings it with tears streaming down his cheeks. The juxtaposition of the trivial subject and the extreme emotion underscores the Mock Turtle's role as a figure of absurd tragedy. The Gryphon's comment that the Mock Turtle's sorrow is all his fancy does not diminish the pathos; rather, it highlights the performative nature of emotion in Wonderland.

after the croquet game, at the sea-shore

during the Mock Turtle's story

after the schooling, still on the sea-shore