Literary notes about Preoccupied (AI summary)
In literature, "preoccupied" is frequently employed to depict characters absorbed in their own thoughts, concerns, or anxieties, leaving them detached from the immediate world around them. The term conveys a state of internal distraction that can stem from worry, deep contemplation, or the burden of pressing responsibilities, as seen in portrayals where characters are either mentally immersed in their personal dilemmas [1] or lost in reflections that render them almost absent-minded during social interactions [2]. It is used to subtly highlight a character’s emotional turbulence or a focused dedication to matters of importance, whether that be an unspoken sorrow, a calculated professional pursuit [3], or a broader fixation on ideals and future uncertainties [4]. Thus, "preoccupied" serves as a versatile device in literature to signal internal conflict and the profound influence of inner worlds on outward behavior [5][6].
- He was preoccupied with something of importance and was frowning.
— from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - “You are very much preoccupied; you are thinking of something.”
— from Daisy Miller: A Study by Henry James - I was preoccupied with business matters.’
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - Moral phenomena have preoccupied me like riddles.
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book I and II by Nietzsche - “Ah, it’s you!” said Pierre with a preoccupied, dissatisfied air.
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy - "No—yes—never mind," said Gillingham, preoccupied.
— from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
