What do the Talking Flowers symbolize in relation to the chess game of Through the Looking Glass and Why?

Answer 1

Alice's encounter with the talking flowers occurs before her involvement in the chess game begins. In the Preface, Lewis Carroll describes the first 'move' as "Alice meets R.Q." So the flowers have no role in relation to the moves in the chess game.

In early editions of Through the Looking Glass Carroll included a Dramatis Personae which cast the characters into the roles of the chess-pieces. In this two of the daisies are defined as white pawns and the rose, the tiger-lily and two more of the daisies are defined as red pawns. However, Carroll removed this from later editions and replaced it with a diagram and descriptions of the moves as it didn't actually fit with the action of the game as described in the book.

For a list of moves in the game, see Related Questions, below.

Answer 2

The Talking Flowers in "Through the Looking Glass" symbolize the complexities and challenges of communication and understanding in the Chess game. They represent Alice's struggle to navigate a world where language and logic are constantly shifting, mirroring the unpredictable and strategic nature of the chess game she is a part of. Additionally, the Flowers highlight the theme of perception and reality, as their seemingly innocent appearance belies their sharp tongues and critical attitudes.