Literary notes about saw (AI summary)
The word "saw" in literature is not merely a report of what characters visually encountered—it also signals moments of insight or transformation. In some works, it serves to establish the immediate sensory details of a scene, as when a character observes a delicate, snow-white bird on a branch [1] or notices subtle changes in a familiar face [2]. In other contexts, "saw" marks a turning point in a character's experience, capturing a sudden, revelatory moment that alters their understanding of events, such as witnessing the wounded man that nearly caused a collapse of resolve [3] or perceiving a shift in another’s emotional state [4]. This dual function—both literal and metaphorical—adds a compelling depth to narrative descriptions, blending observation with the inner workings of perception and change [5][6].
- When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it.
— from Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - Robert Audley now saw her face clearly for the first time, and he saw that she was very handsome.
— from Lady Audley's Secret by M. E. Braddon - And he had nearly fainted when he saw the wounded man!
— from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - But almost at the same instant a serious and careworn look came into his face; to his surprise Raskolnikov saw a touch of sadness in it.
— from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - M de Treville listened to the young man’s account with a seriousness which proved that he saw something else in this adventure besides a love affair.
— from The three musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - When Agenor saw Achilles he stood still and his heart was clouded with care.
— from The Iliad by Homer
