Literary notes about Shock (AI summary)
The term "shock" in literature often carries a dual character, embodying both the physical and the emotional. It can depict a sudden, visceral jolt—as when a body is flung apart in a collision [1] or when a character is overwhelmed by a seismic, natural upheaval [2]—while also signaling a profound internal disturbance, like the initial surge of revelation that jolts one's inner fortitude [3] or the unexpected emotional intensity experienced after a disconcerting announcement [4]. Authors use the word to underscore pivotal moments of transformation or disarray, whether it be the paralyzing effect of grief [5] or the subtle, yet lasting, impact of a personal revelation that alters a character's trajectory [6]. This multiplicity of meaning enriches narrative tension and deepens the reader's engagement with both the literal and metaphorical layers of the text.
- By the shock, the body of the cart was flung in one direction, and the wheels and tongue in another, and all in the greatest confusion.
— from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass - A fearful shock followed, and, thrown over the rail without having time to stop myself, I fell into the sea.
— from Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne - Idris, after the first shock, regained a portion of fortitude.
— from The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - Archer stammered, his brain whirling with the shock of the announcement.
— from The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - Her death was a shock and a distress, but she would not be passionately regretted.
— from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - Tim Linkinwater makes a Declaration for himself Some weeks had passed, and the first shock of these events had subsided.
— from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
