Taste of Salt: Chapter 19–Epilogue

by Frances Temple
This novel tells the story of Djo and Jeremie, two young people in Haiti working to improve conditions in their country and achieve their dreams.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapter 19–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. plead
    appeal or request earnestly
    Father Aristide was at his most passionate—preaching, pleading, celebrating.
    Someone who is passionate both has and expresses strong emotions. This is not usually an adjective associated with a priest, but Father Aristide is not an ordinary priest: he pleads for the people to embrace a democratic process that leads to his presidency.
  2. interval
    a definite length of time marked off by two instants
    “Amen,” she said at intervals.
  3. multitude
    the common people generally
    “Let the flood descend, the flood of
    Poor peasants and poor soldiers,
    The flood of the poor jobless multitudes
    Let that flood descend!”
    The image of a flood is a biblical allusion. This connection of the biblical flood to the multitudes gives the common people a sense of power and moral necessity to descend and wipe out the sinful people of the Duvalier dictatorship.
  4. ajar
    slightly open
    There are no windows in our house, Djo, so the door is always ajar.
  5. scripture
    any writing that is regarded as sacred by a religious group
    “Arise! Go forth! Walk!” shouted Titid on the radio, quoting Scripture again.
  6. prowl
    move about in or as if in a predatory manner
    The men were marching, prowling, feeding themselves courage for an attack.
    Compare with "lurk" from the list for Chapters 1-6--both verbs connect to sneaky movements that are waiting for a chance to commit some harmful action. In this example sentence, the men's prowling and marching are more open than the lurking of the people in the shadows.
  7. generous
    willing to give and share unstintingly
    You have been good to me. Generous and—wise.
    "Generous" also means "not petty in character and mind"--this would fit a description of the good and wise character. But the way the sentence separates the adjectives suggests that "generous" refers to the sharing of material wealth, while "wise" refers to the sharing of one's mind.
  8. determined
    strongly motivated to succeed
    We say good-bye, and at last I watch Sister Claire’s determined white form disappear into the dusk.
  9. downcast
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    He the most downcast, hopeless fellow, so if he say I have chance I do believe him.
  10. jabber
    talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
    And just then the central boss come by on a horse, a pistol at his side, and yell at us, “You think you paid to stand jabbering like monkeys? Is to work you are here!
  11. perish
    pass from physical life
    “If we live by its rules, we will certainly perish beneath its whip,” says Titid’s voice.
  12. dignified
    formal or stately in bearing or appearance
    “Walk in a confident way, Djo. But dignified, man. Imagine you the king of the world, and nobody going to suspect you.”
  13. massacre
    the savage and excessive killing of many people
    Explaining to people that never get a chance to vote what election be. That election not necessarily be the same as trick or massacre....
  14. rejoice
    express great happiness
    People rejoice like Easter.
  15. congratulate
    say something to someone that expresses praise
    In every speech Titid does congratulate and encourage the young of Haiti.
  16. inauguration
    the ceremonial induction into a position
    Inauguration nearing. Titid will become President for true.
  17. gouge
    force with the thumb
    We grab at shadows, and they have fingers to gouge, boots to stomp our bare feet.
  18. destination
    the place designated as the end, as of a race or journey
    We have come from far away in order to arrive at a remote destination.
  19. ravine
    a deep narrow steep-sided valley
    We have left the ravine of death in order to arrive at the top of the mountain of life.
    "Ravine" and "mountain" are used figuratively here to develop the metaphors of death and life as low and high places to visit.
  20. depose
    force to leave an office
    Jean-Claude Duvalier was deposed in 1986 and now lives in exile.
  21. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
    A term used in derogatory fashion for Haitian laborers.
  22. cynical
    believing the worst of human nature and motives
    Independent minded and somewhat cynical, he was nevertheless a vocal Aristide supporter.
  23. coup
    a sudden and decisive change of government by force
    He was abducted after the coup against the elected Aristide government in September 1991.
  24. hierarchy
    organization of different ranks in an administrative body
    Its reading series, called Gout Set, or Taste Salt, was considered too radical by some of the church hierarchy
  25. implicate
    bring into intimate and incriminating connection
    One-time mayor of Port-au-Prince, implicated in the contract selling of Haitian workers, often against their will, to the Dominican government sugar interests.
Created on Sun Aug 24 01:09:59 EDT 2014 (updated Tue Sep 04 15:54:53 EDT 2018)

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