Literary notes about average (AI summary)
Writers often use "average" as a flexible tool, seamlessly blending statistical measurement with insights into everyday life and human nature. It marks a baseline of normality—from noting the frequency of mundane, modern observations, as in the case of a Londoner being continuously photographed [1], to critiquing the conventional mindset of professions or social classes [2, 3]. In some works, the term serves to contrast common tendencies with exceptional traits, whether addressing physical measurements like speed and depth [4, 5] or comparing individual attributes against societal standards [6, 7]. This varied use underscores literature’s continuous fascination with the ordinary, inviting readers to reflect on what it means to be average both quantitatively and metaphorically.