Literary notes about gander (AI summary)
The word "gander" is employed in literature with remarkable versatility, oscillating between its literal identity as a male goose and a symbolic element that enhances thematic expression. In some narratives, it is depicted vividly as a living creature with distinct physical traits and behaviors, as seen in Chekhov’s descriptions where the gander’s actions and presence are integral to the scene [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. At the same time, the term finds a figurative place in language—most notably in proverbial expressions like "sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," which underscores the idea of reciprocal fairness [6, 7, 8, 9]. Its playful usage in nursery rhymes further demonstrates its adaptability, enlivening verses that entertain and instruct [10, 11, 12]. This broad spectrum of use—from the literal and descriptive to the idiomatic and whimsical—illustrates how "gander" enriches literary works by blending natural imagery with sharp cultural commentary.
- He stroked the gander’s neck and said: “Bravo, Ivan Ivan
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - A grey gander came straight towards her, hissing, with its neck bowed down to the floor and its wings outspread.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - The gander took the other string in his beak and pulled it, and at once a deafening report was heard.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - When it was quite daylight, the porter came in, took the gander, and carried him away.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - And turning to the gander he shouted: “Ivan Ivanitch, go home!”
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - it comes to the same thing, it amounts to the same thing; what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget - "What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!"
— from The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James - What's Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander.
— from The History of the Nineteenth Century in Caricature by Arthur Bartlett Maurice - What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”
— from Twenty Years' Experience as a Ghost Hunter by Elliott O'Donnell - Goosy , goosy, gander, Who stands yonder?
— from The Nursery Rhymes of England - Goosey , goosey, gander, Where shall I wander?
— from The Nursery Rhymes of England - Goosey, goosey, gander, whither shall I wander, Up stairs, and down stairs, and in my lady's chamber.
— from Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes