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Literary notes about Accustom (AI summary)

The term "accustom" in literature is often employed to evoke a gradual process of adaptation—whether of the senses, habits, or the mind—to changing circumstances. In some instances, it conveys the natural adjustment of perceptions, as when eyes begin to accustom themselves to the deepening darkness [1] or when one slowly adapts visually to a gloomy environment [2]. In other contexts, authors use "accustom" to denote the conditioning of behavior or discipline, such as the training of an army to adhere to Roman discipline [3] or preparing an individual for parting from familiar comforts [4]. Additionally, the word captures the broader social and psychological processes of adapting to life’s challenges, be it the gradual embracing of new surroundings [5] or the fostering of mental resilience in the face of disappointments [6]. Across these examples, "accustom" reflects a nuanced understanding of adaptation—one that is pivotal to character development and the portrayal of human experience throughout literary history.
  1. “The evening came on, and with it darkness; but however profound was this darkness, my eyes began to accustom themselves to it.
    — from The three musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet
  2. In the sick-room, after the girl had ushered her in and closed the door, Pollyanna blinked a little before she could accustom her eyes to the gloom.
    — from Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
  3. ‘Scipio’s first task, when he arrived in Spain, was to accustom the army which he found there, once more to Roman discipline.
    — from Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce
  4. “And you, my dear boy?” “I shall stay here for a few days longer; we must accustom ourselves to parting.
    — from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet
  5. Of course one has always to accustom one's self to new surroundings, Miss Tesman—little by little.
    — from Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
  6. That I accustom them to bear disappointments and control.
    — from Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

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