Out of Darkness: October 1936–November 1936

by Ashley Hope Pérez
In this novel, a romance between a Mexican-American girl and an African-American boy in a segregated Texas town is set against the backdrop of a real historical event: the New London School explosion, which killed around 300 people in 1937.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–September 1936, October 1936–November 1936, December 1936–January 1937, February 1937–March 1937, After–Epilogue
35 words 88 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. darn
    repair a garment by weaving thread across a hole
    “But you know I can’t pass on the chance to gab. And anyhow,” she turned her face and rubbed her nose against the side of her arm, “you already darned up J.R.’s church pants real nice. Maybe you can sew something for the new baby..."
  2. sustain
    provide with nourishment
    The twins had kept it in a box and fed it nothing but bits of candy cane for over a week. It hadn’t occurred to them that their favorite food might not sustain the creature.
  3. bramble
    any of various rough thorny shrubs or vines
    She went closer, picking her way through brambles and brush.
  4. behold
    see with attention
    “Thank you, lady and gent. Now, behold the mastery of the master!”
  5. chasten
    restrain
    A chastened resignation settled on Henry.
  6. unnerve
    disturb the composure of
    His eyes had a troubled look that unnerved Henry.
  7. furrow
    make or become wrinkled or creased
    Her eyes popped open and her brow furrowed.
  8. drab
    lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
    Against all those drab company rentals, the Fuller house probably looked like an illustration for “home sweet home.”
  9. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Wash closed the screen door gingerly behind him.
  10. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Then he went back to totaling an order for a gaunt housewife.
  11. grippe
    an acute, febrile, highly contagious viral disease
    “Kids got the grippe?” she asked.
  12. kin
    a person related to another or others
    “The girl. I think she come in once some time back, but you know...you know how Amos is. We didn’t realize she was kin of yours. Sorry about that. I can talk to him. If she wants to come back in, I mean.”
  13. prim
    exaggeratedly proper
    “Pastor Tom said that listening to the radio can interfere with Bible reading,” Cari said primly.
  14. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    Now he took off the radio’s back cover, revealing a tangle of tubes and wires. He prodded them tentatively.
  15. amble
    walk leisurely
    She was out taking down the wash from the line when she saw Wash come ambling up the road.
  16. sluice
    pour as if from a conduit that carries a rapid flow of water
    Inside, she dropped the fish into the sink and grabbed a knife. She slotted it into the side of one of the bass, but she went too deep. Thick red blood sluiced out into the sink and over her fingers.
  17. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    As she breaded the fish, she seethed at the thought of Henry’s little stunt.
  18. boon
    something that is desirable, favorable, or beneficial
    Under different circumstances, being rid of him for a while would be a boon, but now she’d been forced to accept Wash’s charity again.
  19. staple
    a necessary commodity for which demand is constant
    She’d already had to ask Mr. Mason for credit just to fix some chicken soup for the twins. In a day or two, they’d be out of staples, and if she borrowed from Muff, she’d have to give an explanation.
  20. indifference
    the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things
    Henry shrugged, less out of indifference than shame.
  21. backslide
    return to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
    “Come on, then. I’ll get the missus to wash your clothes. You can dry out at our house and figure out how you’re going to put this right, the way Jesus would. I didn’t baptize you to see you go down the backslider's path, Henry Smith.”
  22. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    He shook his head and smiled ruefully.
  23. erratic
    having no fixed course
    Her arm was an erratic welt of angry red with a smattering of white blisters.
  24. smattering
    a small number or amount
    Her arm was an erratic welt of angry red with a smattering of white blisters.
  25. salve
    a preparation applied externally as a soothing remedy
    “Are you putting something on that?” he called after her. “Let me ask my friend Cal’s ma to mix up some salve—”
  26. calico
    having patches colored differently and usually brightly
    She looked up and saw a calico streak fly past, tail straight back like an arrow.
  27. careen
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    It skittered around the kitchen and then careened back toward the bedroom with the twins running after it.
  28. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    “Everything okay?” He tossed the words out casually, which only added fuel to the fire still smoldering in her. Her anger seemed to radiate from the burn itself.
  29. perfunctory
    as a formality only
    She flashed a perfunctory smile.
  30. conscience
    a feeling of shame when you do something immoral
    She resolved anew not to be swayed by the presents; his guilty conscience was not her concern.
  31. afghan
    a blanket knitted or crocheted in strips or squares
    She snuggled closer to Tommie under the afghan Deedee had given them when they got in.
  32. homely
    lacking in physical beauty or proportion
    As they got farther into town, the houses got bigger and sat on yards carpeted with green and full of thick bushes and enormous shade trees. The New London oil camp houses seemed naked and homely by comparison.
  33. contour
    any spatial attributes, especially as defined by outline
    She glanced from the dress to Tommie, thinking hard about how the contours would match up with her body—and considering what she might change if she were making it from scratch.
  34. liable
    likely to be affected with
    “Don’t worry that or it’s liable to scar worse,” she’d said as she handed Naomi an enormous piece of pecan pie.
  35. rebuke
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    Even if Mrs. Kinnebrew had smiled when she said it, Naomi felt the rebuke.
Created on Wed Dec 05 12:30:36 EST 2018 (updated Tue Dec 11 13:05:06 EST 2018)

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