Literary notes about Each (AI summary)
In literature the word "each" functions both as a distributive determiner and as part of reciprocal expressions, highlighting individual elements within a collective or portraying mutual relationships. For instance, in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina [1] and Hugo’s The History of a Crime [2], "each" is used to emphasize that every individual has a distinct or habitual way of being, whether reuniting after separation or settling in his customary spot. Meanwhile, reciprocal phrases such as "each other" appear in dialogues and narratives like those in Martin Eden [3] and Filipino Popular Tales [4] to illustrate mutual interactions or shared experiences. Additionally, authors employ "each" in more technical or sequential contexts—as seen in Shelley’s linking of thoughts [5]—to underline order or regularity within a process. In all these cases, "each" serves as a versatile tool to simultaneously convey individuality and interconnectedness, enriching the narrative texture.
- Men who had not seen each other for years, some from the Crimea, some from Petersburg, some from abroad, met in the rooms of the Hall of Nobility.
— from Anna Karenina by graf Leo Tolstoy - They scattered themselves about the Hall, each in his usual place.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - And if we don’t—” “Yes?” “Why, we’ll have each other.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London - The two fools said to each other that the old woman was very much pleased that they had killed the fly.
— from Filipino Popular Tales - We go on, each thought linked to the one which was its parent, each act to a previous act.
— from The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
