Why is a raven like a writing desk? Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter

Why this works

This riddle, posed by the Mad Hatter in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," plays on the whimsical nature of the story, suggesting a seemingly absurd comparison that defies logic. The humor arises from the fact that both a raven and a writing desk can be linked through the idea of writing: Edgar Allan Poe famously wrote about ravens, and both ravens and writing desks utilize quills. Thus, the riddle invites readers to explore creative connections between unrelated items, highlighting the playful absurdity that characterizes much of Lewis Carroll's work.