Literary notes about jarring (AI summary)
The word "jarring" in literature frequently conveys a sense of abrupt disruption—whether in sound, emotion, or physical movement. Authors employ it to depict harsh auditory clashes, as when a key strike is noted to be "never either jarring" for its consistency [1] or when a fall produces a sudden, unsettling "jarring thud" [2]. It similarly characterizes discordant internal states and social atmospheres, capturing moments when a laugh or tone interrupts harmony, such as the description of a "jarring laugh" that unsettles the listener [3] or thoughts that strike like dissonant notes in a character's reflection [4]. Even in more physical contexts, like the sudden movement of a horse or the sway of a train, "jarring" communicates an abruptness that unsettles both characters and readers [5] [6]. Through these varied uses, the term enriches narrative textures by signaling moments of unexpected rupture in otherwise ordered experiences.
- Strike the keys as I choose, the tone always remains even, never either jarring or failing to sound.
— from The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Volume 01 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - The only sound as the man fell was a jarring thud when he struck the ground.
— from The Story of Geronimo by Jim Kjelgaard - "Well," he said, with a jarring laugh, "Mrs. Hunter is a customer of mine."
— from A Prairie Courtship by Harold Bindloss - It was the first time he had heard the curious icy tone in her voice; it had struck a jarring note in their friendship.
— from The Dominant Strain by Anna Chapin Ray - Their feet fell heavily on the trail, jarring their bodies and doubling the fatigue of a day's travel.
— from The call of the wild by Jack London - Dick felt a slight jarring movement run through his pony, and then the animal swerved.
— from The Last of the Chiefs: A Story of the Great Sioux War by Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander) Altsheler
