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Literary notes about STAB (AI summary)

The word "stab" in literature operates on multiple levels—sometimes depicting a brutal, physical act and at other times serving as a metaphor for emotional pain or betrayal. In many narratives, it describes lethally precise acts of violence, as when Doyle’s description in [1] leaves no doubt about the violence inflicted, or when characters in classical adventures confront deadly foes with a knife thrust, as seen in [2]. Simultaneously, authors employ the term metaphorically to capture sudden emotional hurt or the treachery of a backstab, evoking feelings of shock and vulnerability, much like the poignant, internal “stab” felt in moments of despair or betrayal in [3] or the subtle anxiety of mistrust hinted at in [4]. This dual usage enriches the literary texture, allowing authors to seamlessly blend the literal with the figurative in their storytelling.
  1. The stab was on the right side of the neck and from behind forward, so that it is almost impossible that it could have been self-inflicted.”
    — from The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
  2. Go thou with him, and when it is thy hap To find another that is like to thee, Good Rapine, stab him; he is a ravisher.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  3. At the same moment something seemed to give his heart a stab.
    — from Fathers and Sons by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev
  4. These people are all recording each other, all the time, as insurance against a back-stab.
    — from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

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