 The poems' successes do not rely on any recognition or association of the poems that they parody.Lucas suggests that the original poems provide a strong container but Carroll's works are famous precisely because of their random, surreal quality.Carroll's grave playfulness has been compared with that of the poet Edward Lear; there are also parallels with the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins in the frequent use of soundplay, alliteration, created-language and portmanteau.