Question

read the source of the allusion.
lewis carrolls alices adventures in wonderland tells the story of a young girl who follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a series of adventures in a surreal world.
what is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
garretts research on nineteenth-century philosophers led him down the rabbit hole.
in search of acclaim or praise
on a strange or difficult exploration
into focused study

Explanation:

The allusion "down the rabbit hole" comes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, where Alice enters a surreal, disorienting, and unexpected journey. Applied to Garrett's research, it refers to a strange, complex, and winding exploration into the topic of 19th-century philosophers, matching the core idea of the original story's unexpected, challenging journey.

Answer:

on a strange or difficult exploration