Literary notes about Smear (AI summary)
The word “smear” assumes multifaceted roles in literature, functioning both as a descriptor of tangible marks and as a metaphor for tarnished reputation or corrupted intent. In some narratives, it vividly captures physical traces—a smear of red clay that hints at nature’s subtle but potent force [1], or a bloodstained smear hinting at violence and mystery [2]. At the same time, "smear" conveys the insidious act of defamation, as in discussions of political assault through a smear campaign that undermines character [3]. Investigative works use the discovery of a smear, such as one found on a nightgown, as a pivotal clue that drives the unfolding mystery [4], thereby enriching the narrative’s visual intensity and thematic resonance.
- It was nothing but a little smear of red clay, but that was enough for Old Mother Nature.
— from Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess - And once the leader saw a brown smear of blood where the half-caste girl may have trod.
— from The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories by H. G. Wells - negative campaigning, dirty politics, smear campaign.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget - I had discovered the smear on the nightgown.
— from The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
