Literary notes about Gruesome (AI summary)
The term "gruesome" is employed by writers to evoke a strong, visceral reaction, often highlighting the horror or repulsion inherent in a scene. It can denote a physical manifestation of brutality or decay, as in depictions of public spectacles meant to terrify or warnings of violent retribution [1], as well as serve to intensify the eerie atmosphere of a setting, such as a doorway or landscape that emanates a sense of impending doom [2], [3]. Additionally, the word is used to express internal states and experiences; characters may recall or encounter scenes so shockingly grim that the memory itself is described as gruesome, lending weight to emotional or moral turmoil [4], [5]. Its versatility in literature allows it to bridge the gap between literal physical horror and a metaphorical intensity that shapes the narrative’s overall mood.
- Their heads were set up in public places in various cities, as a gruesome warning to all others.
— from Sketches of the Covenanters by J. C. (James Calvin) McFeeters - They reached Maggie's home at a late hour and stood for a moment in front of the gruesome doorway.
— from Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane - In the frame of a gruesome doorway she stood for a moment cursing them.
— from Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane - But if you be not careful in this respect, then”—He finished his speech in a gruesome way, for he motioned with his hands as if he were washing them.
— from Dracula by Bram Stoker - What had once been silly or amusing was gruesome, now; it was death peering through a wilful mask of life.
— from Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
