In literature, the word "retch" is often employed to evoke a visceral, involuntary reaction either of physical revulsion or as a metaphor for overwhelming emotion. In Maupassant's work, for instance, it describes an almost self-indulgent discomfort—a bodily response to excess consumption and indulgence, emphasizing a tangible, nearly grotesque reaction [1]. Conversely, Joyce uses the term in a more introspective and subjective context, suggesting an internal, almost psychological urge to expel something that feels fundamentally repulsive [2]. Both authors harness "retch" to deepen the reader's sensory and emotional engagement with their narratives, though their approaches highlight different facets of disgust—one physical, the other more emotively cerebral.