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Literary notes about imposter (AI summary)

In literature, the term "imposter" is frequently employed to indict characters who feign authenticity or authority, marking them as deceitful and unworthy of trust. It is used both as a direct accusation—from vehement outbursts such as "I know thee for a base imposter!" [1] to more casual, self-referential admissions like feeling like an imposter in one’s own life [2]—and as a means to underscore themes of identity crisis and betrayal. The word serves as a potent symbol of subterfuge in narratives, whether conveying moral condemnation of false pretenses in political or social contexts ([3], [4]) or highlighting internal turmoil when a character doubts the legitimacy of their own achievements ([5]). The versatile application of "imposter" thus enriches the dramatic tension and moral complexity of literary works.
  1. ‘I know thee for a base imposter!’ cried Pelistes.
    — from The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, June 1844Volume 23, Number 6 by Various
  2. In the street—I don't know why—a queer feeling came to me that I was an imposter.
    — from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
  3. "The first one is an allegation that you aren't Winfred S. Tompkins, but an imposter who has kidnapped Tompkins and taken his place.
    — from The Rat Race by Jay Franklin
  4. Any man claiming to be the President of the High Priesthood without these keys is an imposter.
    — from Scrap Book of Mormon Literature, Volume 2 (of 2). Religious Tracts
  5. She felt like an imposter, claiming honors that did not belong to her.
    — from The Triflers by Frederick Orin Bartlett

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