‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Brillig = combination of Brill (an edible flatfish Bothas rhombus), plus ig, the standard abbreviation for immunoglobulin, which is any of a group of large glycoproteins that are secreted by plasma cells and that function as antibodies in the immune response by binding with specific antigens.

Slithy = a corrupted spelling of sly + thee (a stealthy person)

Toves = an acronym of TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder, a hi-tech piece of equipment that NASA expects the average punter to believe is used in monitoring atmospheric effects.

Thus, the first line reveals that a species of fish with possible medicinal applications may be linked with an international subterfuge, perhaps the creation of an artificial atmosphere.

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

Gyre = A circular or spiral form; a vortex, especially a circular ocean current.

Gimble = a surreptitious spelling of gimbal, a device consisting of two rings mounted on axes at right angles to each other so that an object, such as a ship's compass, will remain suspended in a horizontal plane between them regardless of any motion of its support.

Wabe = again, a small change to a more phonetic spelling – this time an acronym for Windows Application Binary Interface

Notice the relationship between gyre and gimble? One must ask how it is that a “children’s author” would have foreknowledge of a computer application way back in 1865. Improbable, yes? But when Carroll’s interest in both mathematics and logic is considered, not so unlikely! Modern meteorology has enabled the clear understanding of the link between atmospheric effects and globally significant water bodies, comprehensible to the average high school student.

So the second line reveals plans to subvert a large volume of water via a computer program. Think about the water supplies to major cities, and how water flow is regulated. Starting to get worried yet? In just two lines of what seems like complete “jabber” (syn. talk incoherently), Carroll has foretold plans to create an ecosphere with its own atmosphere and water supply.

All mimsy were the borogroves,

Mimsy = According to U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau, Mims located in Florida (CDP, FIPS 45775) at Location: 28.68457 N, 80.84625 W with a population (1990) of 9,412 and occupies 51.5 sq km (land), 15.3 sq km (water). It also has the Zip code 32754. But Carroll would have been careful not to reveal an exact location. Remember he used the word “mimsy”, so the clue is in the fact that the location is somewhere SIMILAR to Mims, not Mims itself.

Borogroves = compound word comprising boro (borough) plus groves. So this mysterious biosphere is indicated as being “a self-governing incorporated town” and containing “a group of trees planted and cultivated for the production of fruit or nuts”. Therefore, it has its own food supply (together with an isolated atmosphere and independent water supply) and will answer to no sovereign body.

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Mome = According to Spenser, \Mome\, n. [Cf. Mumm, Momus.] is a dull, silent person; a blockhead. [Obs.]

Raths = a rath is a type of ancient fortification. Outgrabe = out (external) + grabe (an usually elongated depression between geologic faults).

“But wait!” the cynics will shout – Carroll used the word ‘grabe’, not graben. Look at the sentence structure here – the word ‘grabe’ is followed by a full stop. Many different types of punctuation marks are used as ‘wildcards’ in what is only too commonly believed to be Modern Search Engines. How could anyone deny that Carroll’s mathematical abilities and logical brain functions are obvious indicators of a familiarity with Boolean processes? Here, this seemingly innocuous little piece of whimsical verse has warned that an automaton or unquestioning cyborg being will be protecting whatever is intended to inhabit the manufactured environment.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

For the son of a clergyman who took deacon's orders in 1861, the use of “son” would be a non-specific term for people in general. Beware the Jabberwock? Be aware that what may seem nonsense (syn. Jabber) may have a much deeper meaning.

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Something pretty nasty is going to happen.

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!"

Jubjub = double trouble. ‘Jub’ is the reverse of ‘buj’, only one letter removed from ‘bug’. A lot of bugs are coming. The bird is obviously a symbol of airborne dispersal. Which wouldn’t worry anyone living in a sealed biosphere, right?

Frumious = anagram of “if our sum”

Bandersnatch = forbid the taking (ban-der-snatch).

So shun (stay away from) the mathematics relating to imposed possession. What mathematics has been imposed on us? [Hint: think computers and the most dominant corporation involved]. Bugs? No, not accidental aberrations in programming code that will be “fixed by a patch”. That’s what they WANT you to think. Come on, now. Think about it. A multi-global monopoly based on their success with computer software – they really aren’t going to have some sloppy code by accident, are they? And airborne. Who’s on a wireless network now? Got a cell phone? Wireless headphones. They’re messing with your brain, buddy!!!

Those evil goons living in some high security environment underground somewhere that probably resembles something to do with Mims, FL; confident in their ability to survive any global catastrophe. Heck, they can control the very ocean currents and the size of the ozone hole if they want to. Not to mention how they’ve subverted the literacy abilities of the population of planet Earth with their computer games replacing good old reading from books. They’ve even corrupted the core purpose of libraries, not only creating a generation of cretins, but obese illiterates with cell phones and wireless head sets for their boom-boom-boom music that doesn’t even have proper lyrics because the alleged musicians can’t read words any more, not that they really ever have been able to read, what with their late nights and drugs and alcohol and adulterous affairs. But maybe that’s politicians, not musicians (?)

But to get back to the interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky. The next few verses provide advice on combating the predicated dangers of the earlier parts of the poem.

He took his vorpal blade in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought-
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

Advice can be condensed to:
(1) cut all the wires. [Note: you don't actually need a vorpal blade, any sharp toolwill do.]
(2) Pull out all the plugs.
(3) Shut off the power.
[Another note: Maybe turning off the power BEFORE cutting the wires would be a good idea?]

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh, Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

Result? Aren’t we all happy now!

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogroves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

So, in conclusion, use caution with technology. Your life will be better and cloven-footed Mephistophelian reprobates will have less control over you. Probably.