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Literary notes about appearance (AI summary)

Throughout literature, “appearance” functions as a multifaceted term, used to depict not only the outward look of characters and objects but also to hint at deeper, often symbolic, layers of meaning. It can denote a character’s consistent identity or an unexpected change in demeanor, as with a man retaining his recognizable form ([1]) or exhibiting an altered exterior that signifies transformation ([2]). At times, the word captures a sudden arrival or emergence that carries emotional or narrative weight—a disconcerting visitor whose presence disrupts the ordinary ([3]), or even a public debut that shifts the dynamics of a social gathering ([4]). Beyond the realm of character portrayal, “appearance” also extends to describe landscapes, objects, and even abstract concepts, evoking images ranging from the heavenly quality of a divine flame ([5]) to the architectural strength suggested by a well-drawn form ([6]). In this way, authors use “appearance” to blur the line between surface impressions and underlying truths, inviting readers to question what is seen and what remains hidden.
  1. In appearance he was just what he used to be.
    — from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
  2. Neither recognised the other: Sigurd because of the magic spell cast over him by Grimhild; Brunhild because of the altered appearance of her lover.
    — from Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas by H. A. Guerber
  3. “I am not ill at all … a little headache …” He was disconcerted; the sudden appearance of such a visitor positively alarmed him.
    — from The possessed : by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  4. The whole party were but just reassembled in the drawing-room when Mr. Weston made his appearance among them.
    — from Emma by Jane Austen
  5. This fire had the appearance of being immediately derived from heaven, and manifold were the virtues ascribed to it.
    — from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer
  6. Lines drawn down the forms give an appearance of great strength and toughness, a tense look.
    — from The Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold Speed

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