Literary notes about uncomfortable (AI summary)
Literary authors frequently use "uncomfortable" to evoke both physical unease and inner disquiet in their characters. The term may highlight awkward social interactions or settings that unsettle a character’s composure, as when a royal speaker finds himself out of place amid a crowd ([1]) or a family conversation turns awkward when delicate topics arise ([2]). At other times, "uncomfortable" points to internal turmoil—moments when characters, despite appearances, wrestle with guilt, vulnerability, or hidden anxieties ([3], [4]). Even in seemingly mundane situations, the word conveys a layered sense of distress, whether it’s the eerie silence at a fantastical tea party or the reflective loneliness experienced at dawn ([5], [6]). Such usage enriches narratives by drawing attention to the subtle but powerful clash between external circumstances and internal emotions.
- The king felt very uncomfortable, because many of his courtiers and servants were standing there listening to his talk with Juan.
— from Filipino Popular Tales - ‘Well then, don’t talk about such uncomfortable things, there’s a good soul,’ said my mother.
— from David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - The word 'truth,' reminded her of her own untruth, and she stopped short, feeling exceedingly uncomfortable.
— from North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell - Emma made no answer, and tried to look cheerfully unconcerned, but was really feeling uncomfortable and wanting him very much to be gone.
— from Emma by Jane Austen - Alice sat down in it, rather uncomfortable in the silence, and longing for some one to speak.
— from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll - Toward six o’clock d’Artagnan awoke with that uncomfortable feeling which generally accompanies the break of day after a bad night.
— from The three musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet
