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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.
  1. He stroked the gander’s neck and said: “Bravo, Ivan Ivan
    — from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. And turning to the gander he shouted: “Ivan Ivanitch, go home!”
    — from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
  6. 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
  7. "What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!"
    — from The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James
  8. What's Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander.
    — from The History of the Nineteenth Century in Caricature by Arthur Bartlett Maurice
  9. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”
    — from Twenty Years' Experience as a Ghost Hunter by Elliott O'Donnell
  10. Goosy , goosy, gander, Who stands yonder?
    — from The Nursery Rhymes of England
  11. Goosey , goosey, gander, Where shall I wander?
    — from The Nursery Rhymes of England
  12. Goosey, goosey, gander, whither shall I wander, Up stairs, and down stairs, and in my lady's chamber.
    — from Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes

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