The word “around” is used in literature to convey both literal and figurative notions of encirclement, proximity, and movement. In many instances, it designates physical space or arrangement—as when objects lie scattered about, “skirts, collars, waists lying around on the floor” [1], or when landscapes and bodies of water circumscribe a locale [2, 3]. It also indicates movement or change in position, as seen in characters “walking around that place” [4] or “passing around the turn” [5]. Moreover, “around” can suggest abstraction or encompassing influence, such as when thoughts dwell “on the hills around Verdun” [6] or when a collective force seems to circle and shape an individual’s destiny [7, 8]. In these varied uses, “around” enriches narrative imagery by positioning objects, people, and ideas within a surrounding context that is at once physical, emotional, or metaphorical.