The Duchess

The Duchess: A Good Egg or a Bad Beater?

I think that if there was supposed to be symbolism in the Duchess it was this:

The Duchess symbolized lower nobles. They feared the royals, but nothing else. They ignored the outcries of those that worked for them (i.e. The Cook throwing plates and stuff and the Duchess ignoring it), and how she beat her baby was meant to say something about how, though they seemed to be ridiculously strict with their children, in the end, their offspring ended up being pigs anyway.

However, what was the point of her owning the Cheshire Cat? And what about the pepper? Did it also serve a purpose?

I'm not really sure of this, but I think the pepper stands for everything that the she and the child act as though they are bothered by but truely enjoy. She sings that she beats her child so he can "enjoy the pepper when he pleases." I believe that she is refering to his enjoyment of telling people of everything which bothers them in order to get attention (which he in the end enjoys.) i am sure during this period of time some nobles were making up problems in order to recieve attention which those above them recieved. However, these problems were ones which they caused and could easily fix, but enjoy complaining about.

maybe carroll hated little boys so he changed the chile to a pig.