Literary notes about that (AI summary)
The examples show that "that" is a remarkably versatile word in literature, serving multiple grammatical roles that enrich narrative and style. It is often used as a demonstrative adjective to specify or draw attention—for instance, when authors refer to a particular object or time, as in "that tray" [1] or "that day" [2]. Equally, "that" functions as a subordinating conjunction to introduce subordinate clauses, allowing writers to connect thoughts smoothly, such as in expressing causality or a state of being in phrases like "I felt that I was free" [3] or "I suggested that this was balanced" [4]. Additionally, it sometimes appears to mark emphasis or delineate key moments in dialogue and narrative, as seen in reflective or rhetorical questions like "That is his meaning then?" [5] and in subtle asides that hint at broader thematic undertones (for example, [6]). From classic texts to more modern narratives, "that" provides both clarity and nuance, making it an indispensable linguistic tool in literary expression.
- But I say, you didn’t think I’d be satisfied with any such dinner as you saw on the top of that tray?
— from The Satyricon — Complete by Petronius Arbiter - They entertain their castemen on that day.
— from Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 7 of 7 by Edgar Thurston - After breakfast, Joe brought out my indentures from the press in the best parlor, and we put them in the fire, and I felt that I was free.
— from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - I suggested that this was balanced—ha!—by his wife's lover.
— from The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales by Bret Harte - That is his meaning then?
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - But I think,” she said in conclusion, “that there's no need for you to inquire about that, nor for me to answer you, for that's my own affair.”
— from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
