Literary notes about expression (AI summary)
Literary works use the word "expression" in multifaceted ways that encompass both the outward portrayal of emotion and the communication of deeper ideas. It often refers to the visible manifestation of inner feelings—as when a character’s face reveals hope, despair, or determination [1], [2], [3]—but it also designates the broader articulation of thought or creative impulse, such as when ideas or philosophical stances find their verbal or figurative form [4], [5], [6]. This dual function enables writers to bridge the gap between the physical and the metaphysical, enriching narrative depth by making internal states perceptible through detailed descriptions of mood and demeanor [7], [8].
- Fagin, Fagin! Are you a man?' 'I shan't be one long,' he replied, looking up with a face retaining no human expression but rage and terror.
— from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - Her features and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot with premature grey, and her expression was weary and haggard.
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - I could see by the expression on his face that he himself had little hope.
— from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - It is the expression of living interest, preference, and categorical choice.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana - Of course, the writing of such a piece as 1601 raised the question of freedom of expression for the creative artist.
— from 1601: Conversation as it was by the Social Fireside in the Time of the Tudors by Mark Twain - The romantic movement was the expression of individual genius rather than of established rules.
— from English Literature by William J. Long - From the happy expression of these dear children we see that this conversation has taken a load off their hearts.
— from Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau - “No, it was my fancy,” she thought, recalling the expression of his face when he stumbled over the word “suffering.”
— from Anna Karenina by graf Leo Tolstoy
