Literary notes about grindstone (AI summary)
The term “grindstone” in literature has often been deployed as a rich metaphor for the burdens and relentlessness of work, as well as the ceaseless march of time and suffering. For example, in [1] and [2] it underscores the need to escape from unremitting labor, while in works like Dickens’s ([3], [4], [5], [6]) and Twain’s ([7], [8], [9], [10]) narratives it becomes emblematic of persistent toil and the inescapable cycle of hardship. In Hardy’s writing ([11], [12]) as well as in Sunzi’s strategic imagery ([13], [14]), the grindstone not only represents rigorous effort but also acts as a symbol for the sometimes brutal reality of life’s challenges. Even when it appears in more figurative or playful contexts—such as the allusions in Shakespeare’s verse ([15]) or the subtle observations of Montgomery ([16], [17])—the grindstone remains a potent emblem of both practical and existential struggles.
- You need to get away from the grindstone once in a while.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - You keep your nose to the grindstone, you will forget all these things.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - 'How do you propose to do it, Mr Wegg?' 'To put his nose to the grindstone?
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - And his nose shall be put to the grindstone for it.'
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - And for that, too, his nose shall be put to the grindstone.'
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - In the meanwhile let it be fully understood that I shall not neglect bringing the grindstone to bear, nor yet bringing Dusty Boffin's nose to it.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - Our hole was pretty big, but it warn’t big enough to get the grindstone through; but Jim he took the pick and soon made it big enough.
— from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - We smouched the grindstone, and set out to roll her home, but it was a most nation tough job.
— from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - There’s a gaudy big grindstone down at the mill, and we’ll smouch it, and carve the things on it, and file out the pens and the saw on it, too.”
— from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - It warn’t no slouch of an idea; and it warn’t no slouch of a grindstone nuther; but we allowed we’d tackle it.
— from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - Cainy Ball turned the handle of Gabriel's grindstone, his head performing a melancholy see-saw up and down with each turn of the wheel.
— from Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - I'll turn the winch of the grindstone.
— from Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg--this is effected by the science of weak points and strong.
— from The Art of War by active 6th century B.C. Sunzi - That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg - this is effected by the science of weak points and strong.
— from The Art of War by active 6th century B.C. Sunzi - Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane; and as thou loves me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell. Antony and Potpan!
— from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare - There are some people who can see through a grindstone when there is a hole in it, even if you cannot.
— from Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery - But as far as seeing through a grindstone goes, I am afraid—" Susan shook her head dubiously, "that they are all tarred with the same brush.
— from Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery
