Literary notes about incredulity (AI summary)
In literature, incredulity is often employed as a powerful marker of disbelief and surprise, revealing a character’s inner conflict when faced with startling circumstances or ideas. It can manifest as a subtle expression—a look or a gesture suggesting a clash between what is expected and what is observed—as seen when a character’s face betrays shock or skepticism [1, 2] or when a remark is delivered with an air of disdainful incredulity [3]. Authors use the term to encapsulate both a momentary lapse in trust and a broader commentary on the nature of belief itself, whether it is the incredulity provoked by a betrayal of principles [4] or the ironic, sometimes humorous, refusal to accept what seems impossible [5, 6].
- The gentleman, however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, opened a pocket-book and took out a note.
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - His face assumed an expression of incredulity as he gazed, and he passed his boney hand over his eyes.
— from A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle - And Morrel dropped his head with disdainful incredulity.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - If you had known the justness of his former principles, you would allow for my present incredulity.'
— from The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Ward Radcliffe - “What, that bit of pipe!” exclaimed Pencroft in a tone of perfect incredulity.
— from The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne - But incredulity and indifference were evidently my strongest cards.
— from The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
