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Literary notes about suddenly (AI summary)

The word "suddenly" is a versatile narrative tool that authors use to signal abrupt shifts—whether in mood, action, or setting—infusing a scene with immediacy and surprise. In many works, its use creates dramatic tension, as seen when a character experiences an unexpected emotional surge, such as Stepan Trofimovitch’s sudden desire in Dostoyevsky’s narrative [1], or when an ordinary moment is rapidly interrupted by startling movement, like the abrupt stop on a staircase in Wells’ tale [2]. Authors also employ "suddenly" to transition perspectives or heighten suspense, whether it’s a sudden emotional change by a character [3] or the unforeseen occurrence of an event that alters the narrative’s course [4, 5]. This simple adverb, therefore, often functions as a powerful catalyst throughout literature, marking pivotal moments that grab the reader’s attention and propel the story forward.
  1. Stepan Trofimovitch suddenly felt an intense desire to go to Spasov.
    — from The possessed : by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  2. "On the staircase he stopped suddenly, so that I very nearly blundered into him.
    — from The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance by H. G. Wells
  3. "Why, just as you may suppose," said Mr. Jarndyce, his countenance suddenly falling.
    — from Bleak House by Charles Dickens
  4. Suddenly, with a start, he perceived a coiled and blood-stained bandage of linen rag hanging in mid-air, between him and the wash-hand stand.
    — from The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance by H. G. Wells
  5. And suddenly, for the first time this day, we remembered that we are the Damned.
    — from Anthem by Ayn Rand

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