Emotional Responses

When walking with Alice through the croquet ground, the Duchess gave morals to everything said between them. “‘Tis love” the Duchess said that makes the world go round. Alice responded quietly that “somebody” said it’s done by everybody minding their own business. That “somebody” was the Duchess. Now personally, I think there is just a little bit of contradiction in the Duchess’ statements. The first statement given was that people should mind their own business, said when the Duchess was sitting with the pig-baby and having her nose filled with pepper. So why the disparate views? The first time, she was uncomfortable and annoyed. The second time around, she had just escaped beheading through Alice’s decisions, and was probably grateful. Alice’s point of view was a little different.

Alice said her response quietly to the Duchess. I think Alice had added a little bit of venom to her sentence. Why? In order to spite the Duchess for being so rude to her earlier and besides, Alice just did not like her anyway. Alice was also probably annoyed that the Duchess had changed her idea. Alice was respectful and polite in their first conversation, yet was met with threats of death. As this is usually seen as impolite, Alice was displeased and displayed it subversively in their latter meeting. So Alice chose to act polite first because she was happy and humble, but later spoke acerbically because of her anger and annoyance.

I think this strongly states that for many of us our views are directly varied by emotion. What defines maturity then? I think for here it defines itself as the strength of character to not let emotion guide you, but rather your philosophies.