Literary notes about Proposal (AI summary)
The term “proposal” in literature functions with a remarkable versatility, often serving as both a literal offer and a metaphor for a pivotal suggestion or idea. In some narratives it denotes formal schemes or political measures—consider the measured bids put forward in philosophical and political discourses [1, 2, 3]—while in other stories it encapsulates intimate offers of marriage or companionship that reveal character and influence plot direction [4, 5, 6, 7]. Even when dismissed or approached with irony, as in instances where the notion is humorously rejected or met with incredulity [8, 9, 10, 11], “proposal” is a device that enriches dialogue and furthers the narrative arc.
- I have a proposal to make to this meeting.
— from Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy by Bernard Shaw - Will the author pledge himself, previously to his proposal of such a tax, to carry this enlargement of the Irish trade?
— from The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 01 (of 12) by Edmund Burke - “Without doubt,” says Rousseau in conclusion, “the proposal of a perpetual peace is at present an absurd one....
— from Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Essay by Immanuel Kant - He therefore accepted for her, and persuaded her to accede to, a proposal of marriage, from a wealthy Greek merchant settled at Constantinople.
— from The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - 'Come home with me,' said she at last, with a bold venture, half trembling at her own proposal as she made it. '
— from North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell - "I have not forgotten," she said, "that you asked my father's permission before you honoured me with a proposal of marriage.
— from The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - Be that however as it may, the object of his visit turned out to be a proposal to Miss Evelyn, with an offer of marriage.
— from The Romance of Lust: A classic Victorian erotic novel by Anonymous - I dare say it would have been more seemly to decline this proposal.
— from The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham - As we wished to see something of the city, I declined this proposal, and to their horror we proceeded to walk along the bank.
— from A Diplomat in Japan by Ernest Mason Satow - He resolved therefore to take the first opportunity of making a proposal of this kind.
— from History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding - But I didn’t think that sort of a proposal was a very romantic one, so in the end I had to imagine it out as well as I could.
— from Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
