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Literary notes about city (AI summary)

In literature, the term “city” functions as much more than a mere geographical reference; it evokes a rich spectrum of meanings that span the physical, symbolic, and social realms. Authors like Mark Twain imbue the city with both sacred allure and the mundane reality of change—illustrated by a “sacred city” that promises adventure yet eludes fulfillment [1] and a city that seems unchanged to the eye, hinting at a static, almost mythical presence [2]. Ancient texts such as Homer’s epic also use the city as a battleground and emblem of collective identity, as when the prospect of sacking Troy underscores its central role in the unfolding drama of human affairs [3]. In other examples, cities serve as bustling centers of modern life, whether portrayed as iconic urban hubs like New York City [4] or discussed in the context of political and social organization [5, 6]. Thus, across genres and eras, the "city" emerges as a versatile symbol—simultaneously a stage for historical events, a microcosm of society, and a repository of shared cultural meaning.
  1. We could have found a carriage and driven to the sacred city, but we should have lost the wait.
    — from Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World by Mark Twain
  2. The city itself had not changed—to the eye.
    — from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
  3. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, and if ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you three and fourfold.
    — from The Iliad by Homer
  4. " Lives in New York City.
    — from The Best Short Stories of 1917, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story
  5. Know how the principal officers in his town or city are elected and for what terms.
    — from Boy Scouts Handbook by Boy Scouts of America
  6. The absence of this in the city is what, in large part, makes the city what it is.
    — from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park

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