Literary notes about SO (AI summary)
The word "so" functions in literature as a versatile and dynamic adverb that often intensifies descriptions, links cause and effect, and marks transitions in narrative flow. For example, it is used to heighten emotional or descriptive impact in phrases like "George felt so utterly lonely and dejected" [1] or "she was so pretty" [2], emphasizing qualities beyond the ordinary. At the same time, "so" can serve as a connector that indicates consequence or continuation, as seen in "but nurse neither weeps nor runs away, so there is no danger" [3] and "and so went away" [4]. It also appears in dialogue to express acceptance or prompt action, such as Christiana’s resolute "So be it:" [5]. Through these varied functions, "so" contributes both to the tone and the rhythm of the narrative, making it a small yet significant tool to convey intensity, logic, and progression within literary works.
- George felt so utterly lonely and dejected that he wanted to weep but pride made him walk rapidly along, swinging his arms.
— from Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life by Sherwood Anderson - But she was so pretty.
— from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert - But nurse neither weeps nor runs away, so there is no danger.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - and so went away.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys - Then said Christiana, "So be it:
— from The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read by John Bunyan
