Taken literally, the sentence is a commonsense axiom: direction only makes sense relative to a destination. The Cheshire Cat applies practical logic to Alice’s vague desire to move on, exposing the emptiness of her request. When Alice says she doesn’t care where, the Cat’s follow-up—any path works if the only aim is to go “somewhere”—reveals a paradox of purposeless motion, echoing Wonderland’s habit of action without aim (as earlier in the caucus-race). The line also quietly tests Alice’s growing decision-making. Since her adventures began, Alice has reacted to situations (drinking, eating, shrinking, growing). Here, the Cat nudges her toward articulating goals before choosing means. Ironically, this lucid guidance is delivered by a creature who soon proclaims universal madness, heightening the scene’s humor: the clearest logic in the chapter comes from a grinning apparition. The aphorism thus works on two levels—as a traveler’s rule and as a gentle critique of Alice’s unfocused curiosity, pushing her toward intentional choice.