raisin in the sun Flashcards
undistinguished “Its furnishings are typical and undistinguished and their primary feature now is that they have clearly had to accommodate the living of too many people for too many years – and they are tired”
(adj) common; nothing special
pretense “All pretenses but living itself has long since vanished”
(n) pretending or feigning; make-believe; a false show of something
exasperated “The boy gives her an exasperated look for her lack of understanding, and eats grudgingly”
(adj) irritated; provoked; irked
viciously “Travis jabs his spoon into his cereal bowl viciously, and was his head of anger upon his fists”
(adv) with violence or fury
sullen “With sullen politeness”
(adj) showing irritation or ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve
vindicated “The boy finally turns around and rolls his eyes at her, knowing the mood has changed and he is vindicated; he does not, however, move toward her yet”
(v) cleared of accusation, blame, or doubt
proposition “This ain’t no fly-by-night proposition, baby”
(n) a suggested plan
vengeance “She closes the door with a sleepy vengeance and crosses to the table and sits down a little defeated”
(n) revenge
tentatively “She waits several seconds, trying to make up her mind about something and looks at Ruth a little tentatively before going on”
(adv) uncertainly
furtively “Studying her mother-in-law furtively and concentrating on her ironing, anxious to encourage without seeming to”
(adv) stealthily; in a way that hides motive
futile “Dropping her hands in a futile gesture”
(adj) useless
tyrant “I also see that everybody thinks it’s all right for Mama to be a tyrant”
(n) dictator; harsh ruler
forlornly “Ruth comes in forlorn and pulls off her coat with dejection”
(adv) pitifully; desperately; hopelessly
mutilated “You wear it well…very well…mutilated hair and all”
(adj) maimed; damaged
assimilationism “Assimilation is so popular in your country”
(n) belief that minority cultures should be absorbed into a dominant culture
insinuatingly “Insinuatingly, to her daughter”
(adv) with more meaning than is spoken; implied
haphazardly “She sets the headdress on haphazardly and then notices her hair again and clutches at it and the replaces the headdress and frowns at herself”
(adv) carelessly
arrogant “She promenades to the radio and, with an arrogant flourish, turns off the good loud blues that is playing”
(adj) proud; haughty
eccentric “Oh don’t be so proud of yourself, Bennie–just because you look eccentric”
(adj) deviating from the norm; strange
oppressive “It means someone who is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture”
(adj) tyrannical
cliché “She smiles happily at this cliche of cliches”
(n) trite or overused expression or idea
plaintively “Plaintively”
(adv) sorrowfully; pathetically
menacingly “Mama clamps her lips together and Ruth advances toward her son menacingly”
(adv) threateningly
exuberant “And she builds with momentum as she starts to circle the room with an exuberant, almost tearfully happy release”
(adj) marked by unrestrained enthusiasm
