Literary notes about side (AI summary)
In literature, the term "side" serves both as a way to denote precise physical location and as a metaphor for relational or ideological alignment. At times, it vividly paints a physical scene—characters are described lying on their left side [1] or positioned next to one another [2, 3]—inviting readers into well-defined spatial arrangements. In other instances, it takes on a more abstract meaning, symbolizing parties or stances within a conflict or debate, as when allegiances and oppositions are drawn in phrases like "on either side" [4, 5]. This dual utility—conveying both tangible placement and metaphorical division—adds layers of meaning and visual depth to the narrative [6, 7, 8].
- In the middle of the room, the man was lying on his left side, motionless.
— from The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar by Maurice Leblanc - A brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the left-hand side of the window.
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - They both stood still at the bottom, side by side.
— from Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - A trial of skill between the police on one side, and the individual on the other.
— from The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - And certainly the hate that now divided them was equal on each side.
— from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - take home thy bride, For she is the true one that sits by thy side!" H2 anchor FAITHFUL
— from Grimm's Fairy Stories by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - THE PLAN THAT FAILED "But now," said Kemp, with a side glance out of the window, "what are we to do?"
— from The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance by H. G. Wells - First, because I'm on the same side of the door as you are; secondly, because they're making such a noise inside, no one could possibly hear you."
— from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
