...., これ以上ないくらいに大きく目を見開いて、...
she opened her eyes as wide as possible ...
I don't understand what に is doing here. I've seen plenty of examples where くらい acts adverbially without needing に. So why is it there, and what happens if I omit it?
If it helps, my literal understanding is to parse it as "to the extent that there is nothing more than this she widley opened her eyes".
I read this answer for particle の but that doesn't seem to apply here since に cannot (as far as I know) attach to ない.
Aside: does 目を見開く have some cultural significance e.g. does it represent concentration for example? The subject is currently beating a dog with a broom. It says that she made a 一 shape with her lips (seems like something you'd do if you were concentrating) and then the above sentence. I would normally associate wide eyes with fear (I don't think she's scared), but that would be passive. This sentence is active.
Answer
Both ～くらい and ～くらいに can function adverbially, and I don't see a difference in meaning between:
これ以上ないくらいに大きく目を見開いて・・・
and
これ以上ないくらい大きく目を見開いて・・・
Similar examples:
- 子供のときに京都に引っ越しました。/ 子供のとき京都に引っ越しました。
- 子供のころによく遊んだ公園 / 子供のころよく遊んだ公園
- すぐに伺います。 / すぐ伺います。
- まっすぐに立ってください。 / まっすぐ立ってください。
- しっかりと持つ / しっかり持つ
- ぼんやりと眺める / ぼんやり眺める
does 目を見開く have some cultural significance e.g. does it represent concentration for example?
目を見開く can indicate concentration, but here in your example I think it shows 緊張 (tenseness) and/or 興奮 (agitation/excitement?) It can also be used to describe one's surprise, anger, fear, admiration, seriousness, etc.
(By the way, 目を[見張]{みは}る typically represents surprise and/or admiration.)
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