Literary notes about Hectic (AI summary)
In literature, the term hectic is deployed with a flexible nuance that can evoke both the physical and the metaphorical. Often, it describes the sudden, vivid flushes or glows that animate a character’s face—suggesting intense emotion or feverish energy, as seen when Mr. Samson's cheeks burned brighter [1] or when two hectic spots appeared on a character’s face [2]. It also conveys a frenetic pace of life or activity, highlighting an overwhelming burst of energy or agitation, as in the reference to a hectic day that precedes moments of reflection [3]. Additionally, hectic carries a diagnostic quality when used to denote the symptoms of consumption or fever, signifying both physical deterioration and the liveliness of passion, much like the depiction of a hectic fever that accompanies a disease [4]. This layered usage allows writers to blur the boundaries between physical manifestation and emotional intensity, creating a rich, multifaceted imagery in their narratives.
- Mr. Samson glowered and the hectic in his thin cheeks burned brighter.
— from Flower o' the Peach by Perceval Gibbon - He smiled, and two hectic spots appeared on his cheeks.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The last two weeks of preparation were hectic.
— from Cinderella Jane by Marjorie Benton Cooke - The weather was cold and the sick lady had the dreadful chills that accompany the hectic fever of consumption.
— from Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor A Book for Young Americans by Sherwin Cody
