Literary notes about Description (AI summary)
In literature, the term "description" performs a diverse set of functions, ranging from the objective delineation of social structures to the vivid portrayal of emotional nuance. It is employed in a scientific or analytical context to carefully detail societal phenomena ([1], [2]), while also serving as a tool for creative narration that paints dynamic settings and personas—bringing out the peculiarities of characters or landscapes with literary flair ([3], [4]). At times, it conveys a deeply personal or even sentimental account, capable of evoking strong impressions and stirring feelings among readers ([5], [6]). Whether in a technical treatise, where precision is paramount ([7], [8]), or in a spirited narrative, where every adjective contributes to an immersive atmosphere ([9], [10]), "description" remains an indispensable device that enriches the text by bridging the abstract with the tangible.
- Methods of investigation of family life are typical of methods that may be employed in the description of other forms of society.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - xii, "Physical Law and Freedom: The World of Description and the World of Appreciation."
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - Description Of Arabia And Its Inhabitants.—Birth, Character, And Doctrine Of Mahomet.—He Preaches At Mecca.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - A green mount, answering to the description, and about 160 feet in height, stands immediately in rear of the palace buildings.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano - Of course, I shan’t say so to my sister—it will distress her; but you ought to know: mother is miserable beyond all description.”
— from The Duel and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - Perhaps curiosity might have conquered resentment, if Beth had not been there to inquire and receive a glowing description of the play.
— from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - Botanical Description .—A tree, 30–40° high, with leaves alternate, compound, odd-pinnate; leaflets opposite, ovate, pointed, dentate.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Reaction, neutral. Botanical Description.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - The description he gave me perfectly corresponds with the features and character of the man before us.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - ‘Do you know what the third gentlemen is?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick, not very much gratified by this description of his future associates.
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
