Literary notes about opened (AI summary)
The word “opened” functions in literature as a bridge between the tangible and the symbolic. In many texts it marks a physical action—a door, a letter, or even a safe being opened—as in [1], [2], and [3], signaling entry into a new space or the initiation of an event. Simultaneously, "opened" carries metaphorical weight, connoting revelation or transformation. Characters' eyes being opened to hidden truths ([4]) or the unfolding of dramatic events, such as the opening of a sealed passage leading to adventure ([5]), illustrates its symbolic use. Whether it is a literal door opening to invite an unexpected guest ([6]) or an emotional awakening prompting personal change ([7]), the term enriches the narrative by demarcating moments of transition and discovery in both concrete and abstract realms.
- It was not till she had opened the door that she knew the Mayor was there in the company of a man with whom he transacted business.
— from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy - He did not knock, but taking from his pocket a key, he opened and entered at once.
— from Villette by Charlotte Brontë - He opened the case, and, taking out the diadem, he laid it upon the table.
— from Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - He touched the eyes of the blind, and they were opened.
— from The World I Live In by Helen Keller - After ten minutes’ labor the wall gave way, and a hole large enough to insert the arm was opened.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - The door opened.
— from The Monk: A Romance by M. G. Lewis - All at once Mina opened her eyes, and looking at me tenderly, said:— “Jonathan, I want you to promise me something on your word of honour.
— from Dracula by Bram Stoker
