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Literary notes about Expectorate (AI summary)

In literature, "expectorate" is often employed not merely to depict a physical act but also to subtlety underscore a character’s state of focus or distraction. For example, in Maupassant’s tale [1], the deliberate choice to mention that a character becomes so engrossed that he forgets even to expectorate highlights an almost comical neglect of a basic bodily function. This use serves to deepen the reader’s insight into the character’s absorption and vulnerability, suggesting that even the most mundane acts can be rendered poignant when placed against the backdrop of intense focus or emotional turmoil.
  1. So absorbed was his attention that he even forgot to expectorate.
    — from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant

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