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Literary notes about Ago (AI summary)

The term “ago” in literature acts as a concise temporal marker that anchors past events relative to the narrative’s present, conveying everything from fleeting moments to vast stretches of history. Authors use it to evoke immediacy or nostalgia—for instance, characters recall a conversation “three days ago” ([1]) or reminisce about a pivotal event “a few months ago” ([2]). In some cases, “ago” emphasizes a dramatic contrast, as when a transformation is noted “a moment or two ago” ([3]) or when the vast distance of time is underscored by phrases like “long ago” ([4]) or even “centuries ago” ([5]). Such usages not only situate events in a temporal spectrum but also enhance the narrative’s reflective quality, seamlessly blending personal recollection with historical context.
  1. "I told you three days ago I was awaiting a remittance—" "I told you two days ago I wasn't going to await no remittances.
    — from The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance by H. G. Wells
  2. I was eating a piece of watermelon some months ago and was struck with its beauty.
    — from The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie and J. Berg Esenwein
  3. "Stranger," said he, "how suddenly you have changed from what you were a moment or two ago.
    — from The Odyssey by Homer
  4. It was long ago.
    — from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
  5. some one asked Plato many centuries ago.
    — from Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden

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