Literary notes about works (AI summary)
The word “works” in literature serves as a versatile term that spans both the tangible and the abstract. In some contexts it refers to an author’s complete output or treasured creations, as seen in titles like The Works of Louisa May Alcott ([1]) or in discussions of an artist’s most beautiful works ([2]). It also designates the products of labor and craftsmanship—ranging from the engineered marvels of water-works ([3]) and steel-works ([4]) to the diligent personal efforts of characters who “work” in the everyday sense ([5], [6]). Moreover, “works” can encapsulate moral or spiritual deeds, highlighting the ethical actions that define a person’s legacy ([7], [8], [9]), or even represent the timeless, immortal nature of creative output ([10]). This multifaceted use demonstrates how “works” can denote literary composition, physical construction, or acts of devotion, underscoring its rich adaptability in conveying diverse aspects of human endeavor.
- After the novel is a list of The Works of Louisa May Alcott.
— from Little Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott - "The most beautiful works of all art were done in youth," says Ruskin.
— from Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden - And the water-works again began to play.
— from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray - The steel-works were fifteen miles away, and as usual it was so contrived that one had to pay two fares to get there.
— from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - She works very hard, her husband (an excellent one) being lame and able to do very little.
— from Bleak House by Charles Dickens - She works for Mrs. Gardener at the hotel now.
— from My Ántonia by Willa Cather - "That matters little," replied Don Quixote; "there may be Haldudos knights; moreover, everyone is the son of his works."
— from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra - They said therefore unto him: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Bless, O Lord, his strength, and receive the works of his hands.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Works are immortal in themselves, and once committed to writing, may live for ever.
— from The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer: the Wisdom of Life by Arthur Schopenhauer