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Literary notes about Anyone (AI summary)

In literature, the word "anyone" serves as an inclusive, versatile pronoun that can either generalize a statement or pinpoint an unspecified individual, thereby broadening the scope of the narrative. For instance, Doctorow’s work suggests that a unique individual possesses rare skills—“If anyone knew how to keep our butts out of jail, it would be him” [1]—while in other texts it emphasizes universal accessibility, as seen with phrases like “Subscription is free and for anyone” [2] or “This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere” [3]. Additionally, authors like Guy de Maupassant and Chekhov use "anyone" to either underline the visibility and omnipresence of characters [4, 5] or to underscore moral or social boundaries, as when etiquette is invoked to caution that it is “the height of rudeness for anyone to go to an entertainment” [6]. In each case, the term functions to either obscure or define identity, inviting readers to consider the roles and responsibilities of both individuals and the collective, and highlighting its flexible role in conveying both inclusivity and distinction within diverse literary contexts.
  1. If anyone knew how to keep our butts out of jail, it would be him.
    — from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
  2. Subscription is free and for anyone.
    — from The Online World by Odd De Presno
  3. 134 Colophon Availability This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.
    — from The Philippines a Century Hence by José Rizal
  4. Anyone can see her, for there she is.
    — from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant
  5. You think of me as a foolish man, gone to the bad, but to anyone who understands I am the best shot there is in the whole district.
    — from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
  6. It is the height of rudeness for anyone to go to an entertainment given in honor of some one and fail to "meet" him.
    — from Etiquette by Emily Post

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