Literary notes about overwhelm (AI summary)
In literature, the term "overwhelm" is used to evoke the sensation of being completely overpowered—whether by external forces, internal emotions, or even by strategic maneuvers. Authors often employ it to describe the crushing impact of nature or military might, as when waves threaten to engulf an island or arrows fail to subdue an opponent ([1], [2], [3]). Equally, it serves as a metaphor for the flood of feelings that consume a character's inner world; a torrent of sorrow or an avalanche of happiness can leave individuals feeling almost submerged by their own emotions ([4], [5], [6]). Moreover, the word is adaptable in contexts where the accumulation of words or actions creates a sense of sensory or cognitive inundation ([7], [8]). Thus, across genres and epochs, "overwhelm" functions as a powerful descriptor for both literal and figurative experiences of being utterly engulfed or overpowered.