Literary notes about pick (AI summary)
The term "pick" in literature functions on multiple levels, ranging from its literal sense of physically lifting or gathering to more figurative notions of selecting and discerning. It is used to describe actions as simple as picking up an object, whether it’s a tool, food, or even a broken thread ([1], [2], [3]), or to denote the act of choosing the best among options, as when characters sort through possibilities in their lives ([4], [5], [6]). The word also appears in idiomatic expressions, such as picking a quarrel or picking on someone, which lend insight into interpersonal dynamics and conflicts ([7], [8]). At times, its use carries a lyrical or symbolic weight, enriching narrative tone and emphasizing themes of determination or transformation ([9], [10]). This versatility makes "pick" a dynamic term that both conveys concrete actions and evokes abstract ideas of selection and judgment in literary works.
- To pick it up and to place it over his face was a work requiring some courage, particularly as his eyes were open.
— from The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales by Bret Harte - " "I'll try," said Jo, winking hard as she knelt down to pick up the basket she had joyfully upset.
— from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - He tried to pick up the broken threads, but, once broken, they could not be revived.
— from The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl - I will sell the poorer land, or let it to peasants, but I’ll pick out the best and farm it.
— from What Men Live By, and Other Tales by graf Leo Tolstoy - You can pick out your climate, the whole world over.”
— from The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1 by Henry James - But does he think he can marry any girl he happens to pick out?
— from The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1 by Henry James - You might find something to do, my dear, instead of sitting with your hands in your lap trying to pick a quarrel.
— from The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - Mebbe that's why this side is sorter inclined to pick on 'em.
— from Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery - These workmen were what might be termed the "pick of the crowd.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - It's as soft and white as a woman's, and looks as if it never did anything but wear Jouvin's best gloves and pick flowers for ladies.
— from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
