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Literary notes about Acquaintance (AI summary)

Literary authors employ "acquaintance" to evoke varied shades of familiarity, ranging from a casual introduction to a more profound intellectual grasp. In narrative contexts, the term is often used to denote the moment when characters meet for the first time or renew past ties, as seen when a character remarks on the pleasure of making someone's acquaintance [1] or fondly reuniting with an old one [2]. Beyond personal interaction, "acquaintance" can also imply an intimate understanding of a subject or a subtle measure of one’s social connections, suggesting not a deep friendship but a recognized overlap in interests or associations [3] [4]. Authors weave this notion into their storytelling to capture the delicate balance between familiarity and distance inherent in human relationships.
  1. "Come, sir," said I. "You forget that I have not yet the pleasure of your acquaintance.
    — from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
  2. Her daughter had become a charming girl, and our acquaintance was renewed in the tenderest manner.
    — from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
  3. It is a common platitude that a complete acquaintance with any one thing, however small, would require a knowledge of the entire universe.
    — from The Will to Believe, and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
  4. “An acquaintance isn't always a friend,” said the police captain, grinning.
    — from The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle

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