Literary notes about job (AI summary)
The term "job" in literature exhibits a remarkable versatility, functioning both as an everyday reference to work or an assigned task and as a symbol laden with deeper, often ironic or mythic connotations. In some texts, it straightforwardly denotes employment or duty—as in the advice to “take a job” ([1]) or the casual acceptance of task performance in “I should like to go and see for myself what sort of a job he's made finishing off” ([2])—while other works invoke the biblical figure of Job to evoke themes of suffering, perseverance, and divine justice ([3], [4], [5], [6]). Authors like Dickens and Conrad further demonstrate its dual nature by using "job" both to mark a character's livelihood and to underscore the inherent challenges or impeccability of a task ([7], [8], [9]). Thus, whether illuminating everyday labor ([10], [11]) or drawing on ancient allegory and symbolic resonance ([12], [13]), the word “job” enriches narrative texture and character development across a wide range of literary genres.
- But do you know what I have to tell you, Emelyan Ilyitch?' "'What, Astafy Ivanovitch?' "'Take a job of some sort, that's what you must do.
— from Short Stories by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - “I should like to go and see for myself what sort of a job he's made finishing off,” pursued James.
— from The Forsyte Saga, Volume I. by John Galsworthy - And there were not found in all the earth women so beautiful as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Job Chapter 6 6:1.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - You have heard of the patience of Job and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Job Chapter 31 Job, to defend himself from the unjust judgments of his friends, gives a sincere account of his own virtues.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - 'It's job work that I do for our house,' returned Silas, drily, and with reticence; 'it's not yet brought to an exact allowance.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - His broad bosom heaved regularly while he went on telling me that it had been the very devil of a job, as doubtless (sans doute)
— from Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - ‘I was, sir,’ replied Job, heaving a deep sigh; ‘I was the idol of the place.’
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens - My job is making people secure.
— from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow - He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.
— from Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - It was Job in the Slough of Despond.
— from The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 2 by Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb - [634] Job vii.
— from The City of God, Volume II by Bishop of Hippo Saint Augustine