Literary notes about SCRAMBLE (AI summary)
The word “scramble” brings to mind a sense of frantic, disordered movement that authors harness to animate both physical actions and broader human struggles. It can denote the physical act of clambering or rushing upward, as when characters scale obstacles with urgency [1], or even the light-hearted rush of preparing a meal [2]. At other times, “scramble” underscores the chaotic contest for something precious—a vivid metaphor for the desperate human effort to secure what’s scarce in an unpredictable world [3]. In its varied usage, the term encapsulates both the kinetic energy of movement and the emotional turbulence of survival and ambition [4].
- It was not so high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lion's back they all managed to scramble to the top.
— from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - "Indeed I do, father, and I'm going to scramble some eggs, and make some coffee this very minute.
— from A True Friend: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant - He might have gone on living contentedly, but he grew tired of having to rent other people’s land every year, and having to scramble for it.
— from What Men Live By, and Other Tales by graf Leo Tolstoy - In the mad scramble he was aware that the color sergeant flinched suddenly, as if struck by a bludgeon.
— from The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War by Stephen Crane
