Why Is A Raven Like A Writing Desk?

NOOKS AND CRANNIES

Any possible solutions to the Mad Hatter's conundrum: Why is a raven like a writing-desk?

THE RAVEN flaps its wings, and the lid of the writing-desk flaps, up and down.
Ian Gowans, Tervuren, Belgium.

MY PERSONAL view is that it was a joke at the expense of the Establishment and red tape. There is a saying that if the ravens leave the Tower of London, the monarchy will fall. What would happen if the government were unable to write and keep records?

Andrew Small, Dorney Reach, Berkshire (106512.3232@compuserve.com)

JOHN FISHER, in his book "The Magic of Lewis Carroll" (Thomas Nelson 1973, Penguin 1975), quotes Carroll's own answer, supplied in a preface to the 1896 edition of "Alice in Wonderland": "Enquiries have been so often addressed to me, as to whether any answer to the Hatter's riddle can be imagined, that I may as well put on record here what seems to be a fairly appropriate answer, viz: 'Because it can produce few notes, tho [sic] they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!' This, however, is merely an afterthought; the Riddle, as originally invented, had no answer at all." Fisher also quotes Sam Loyd's solution, in his posthumous "Cyclopedia of Puzzles", published in 1914: "The notes for which they are noted are not noted for being musical notes." Fisher continues: "Loyd also reminded the world that 'Poe wrote on both' and that 'bills and tales are among their characteristics.'"

Harold Somers, Chorlton, Manchester (harold@ccl.umist.ac.uk)

LEWIS CARROLL himself proposed an answer in the 1897 final revision of Alice's Adventures. "Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!" The early issues of the revision spell "never" as "nevar", ie "raven" with the wrong end in front. Martin Gardner, in More Annotated Alice (1990) gave two possible answers, sent in by readers: "both have quills dipped in ink" and "because it slopes with a flap". In 1991, The Spectator held a competition for new answers, among the prize winners were: "because one has flapping fits and the other fitting flaps"; "because one is good for writing books and the other better for biting rooks"; and "because a writing desk is a rest for pens and a raven is a pest for wrens".

(Dr) Selwyn Goodacre, Editor, Journal of the Lewis Carroll Society, Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

Having recently visited the Ravensworth Arms pub in Gateshead, where it is said that Lewis Carrol wrote much of Alice in Wonderland, I was left wondering if the Raven he refers to is the pub itself. http://www.pub-explorer.com/tandw/pub/ravenswortharms.htm
Nathan Dobby, Gateshead

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2083,00.html

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