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Literary notes about Obvious (AI summary)

The term "obvious" is skillfully employed across literary works to signal facts or qualities that appear self-evident or incontrovertible, yet its use often carries an undercurrent of irony or invites further reflection. In some writings, it straightforwardly indicates clarity and natural perception—for instance, when describing character attributes or drawing attention to inherent harmonies in nature ([1],[2]). In other contexts, however, it becomes a tool for subtle satire or analytical depth, as authors question whether a conclusion so plain might actually deceive, as when an apparently open fact is laughed off or critiqued ([3],[4]). Moreover, in philosophical or analytical discussions, "obvious" sometimes underscores the accepted norms that require little proof, contrasting with ideas that challenge such self-evidence ([5],[6]). This layered application highlights its versatility as both an affirming descriptor and a provocative prompt for deeper inquiry.
  1. The body's harmony, the beaming soul, Are things which Kuster, Burmann, Wasse, shall see, When man's whole frame is obvious to a flea.'"
    — from The Odyssey by Homer
  2. That he adored Sue was obvious; and she could almost be seen to feel that she was undeserving his adoration.
    — from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
  3. “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact,” he answered, laughing.
    — from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
  4. —I can see, he said, that you are about to make obvious remarks.
    — from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
  5. It is obvious that if we are asked why we believe that the sun will rise to-morrow, we shall naturally answer 'Because it always has risen every day'.
    — from The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
  6. But the image is so obvious that there is no need to trace it to any personal experience.
    — from Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen

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