Things Fall ApartSo Young ParkChapter 19-25

Vocabulary Enricher

CassavaDefinition: woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America.

Synonym: plant roots,

Sentence: Cassava is cultivated for its edible starchy root which is a major source of carbohydrates.

Etymology: 1555, from Port. cassave, from Taino (Haiti) caçabi.

Anonym: Cassava tree (not the roots as used in the context)

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Cassava

This word comes up very often in the novel Things Fall Apart. When I looked up the meaning it meant a plant root that was commonly eaten in Africa. This word characterizes the unique and rural African setting of the story.

ResilientDefinition: Marked by thethe ability to recover readily, readily, asas from misfortune

Synonym: flexible, tough, durable

Sentence: Harmattan winds come along with dust to the village.

Etymology: from the SpanishSpanish harmatán, which was the nativethe native (Twi) name in western AfricaAfricaAnonym: rigid, inflexiblePage number: page 148, par.1.Page number: page 148, par.1.

ResilientThis word evoked the image of a person This word evoked the image of a person who never gives up, like Okonkwo. Even who never gives up, like Okonkwo. Even when he was under the worst when he was under the worst circumstances (the first year of his circumstances (the first year of his farming) he never gave up and became farming) he never gave up and became rich. This word can carry both negative rich. This word can carry both negative and positive connotation. When it is used and positive connotation. When it is used for natives’ resilient characteristics, it is for natives’ resilient characteristics, it is positive but when it is used to refer to positive but when it is used to refer to the whites who never give up their the whites who never give up their ambitions it might have negative ambitions it might have negative connotation. connotation.

Apologies for those who were eating…just don’t look at this for more than 2 seconds (I put the mosaic effect though)

AbominationDefinition: something that is strongly hated or abominated, something that causes hatred or repugnance.

Synonym: repugnance, disgust

Sentence: She had Frank, a perverse stalker, in abomination.

Etymology: c.1325, "feeling of disgust, hatred, loathing," from O.Fr. abomination, from L. abominationem (nom. abominatio) Anonym: fondness, attraction

Page number: page 148, par.2.

Abomination

Abomination is a very strong form of hatred which is often apparent in this story, including the hatred of villagers towards the whites who disparaged and ruined their civilization.

PreachDefinition: to deliver a sermon

Synonym: lecture, sermonize

Sentence: The priest solemnly preached about the faith in god.

Etymology: late O.E. predician, a loan word from Church L., reborrowed 12c. as preachen, from O.Fr. prechier (11c.), from L.L. predicare "to proclaim publicly, announce" (in M.L. "to preach"),

Anonym: gossip, chat, converse

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PreachI chose this word because it was I chose this word because it was specifically related to religion, specifically related to religion, which was a major theme of the which was a major theme of the book. This word makes me feel book. This word makes me feel suddenly solemn because it suddenly solemn because it evoked the image of a preacher evoked the image of a preacher seeking for the meaning of god.seeking for the meaning of god.

OverzealousOverzealousDefinition: north African African spice spice thatthat include the seeds and seed podsseed pods

Synonym: fervent, passionate

Sentence: Some overzealous fans followed the pop star’s every action.

Etymology: seeds have a a papery skin enclosing them andthem and the bumps of the seeds withinwithin this skin is reminiscent of anof an alligator's back Anonym: indifferent, dull, sullen

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OverzealousThis is a good word to describe someone who is excessively fervent. This word has slightly negative connotation, as it describes something as being too enthusiastic as to an extreme degree.

ScuffleDefinition: a short disorganized fight

Synonym: fight, brawl, fray, clash

Sentence: The irate protestors got into scuffle with police force.

Etymology: 1768, from Scottish,Scottish, probably from a Scand. sourcesource related to O.N. skufa, skyfaskyfa "to "to shove." Anonym: concord, harmony

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Scuffle

This word fits in the story because manly villagers are likely to fight or scuffle. This word doesn’t make me think of bloody battle or any atrocities but rather closer image to skirmishes or random fights.

VengeanceDefinition: the act of killing, injuring, or harming someone for revenge

Synonym: revenge, payback

Sentence: All his life, he growled his teeth with vengeance to his father who has abandoned him when he was young.

Etymology: c.1400, hoveren, freq. of hoven "hover, tarry, linger" (c.1250), of unknown origin, chiefly nautical at first, of ships standing off a coast.

Anonym: blessing, benefits Page number: page 171, Page number: page 171, 2 par.2 par.

VengeanceVengeance is common in any novels. It is the start of conflict that builds up the story. This word makes me feel of the internal anger piling up and readying for a chance to revenge against my enemy. This definitely carries negative connotation.

BaleDefinition: A large package of rawraw or finished material tightly boundbound with twine or wire and often wrapped

Synonym: pack, bundle, parcel

Sentence: Farmers laid down bales of hay under the scorching sun of October afternoon.

Etymology: "large bundle or package," c.1325, from O.Fr. bale "rolled-up bundle," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. balla "ball") Anonym: a piece, one

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Bale

I think this word is appropriate for describing th erural lifestyle of Umuofia. Just as I have used bale of hay in the previous slide, this word makes me feel of simple civilization.