A Lesson Before Dying: Chapters 12–19

by Ernest J. Gaines
In the 1940s, a Louisiana teacher confronts racial prejudice in his community as he counsels a young man on death row.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–19, Chapters 20–31
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. emphatic
    forceful and definite in expression or action
    The old man nodded his head emphatically, with great pride, and went back to the bar.
  2. anthology
    a collection of selected literary passages
    It was not Joyce’s Dubliners but an anthology of short stories, with “Ivy Day in the Committee Room” included as one of them.
  3. mortuary
    a building where bodies are kept before burial or cremation
    The school was on the same street as the Catholic church, the movie theater, the mortuary, a café, and the ice cream parlor.
  4. congregation
    group that habitually attends a particular place of worship
    Determination Sunday was the third Sunday of each month, when members of the church would stand and sing their favorite hymns and tell the congregation where they were determined to spend eternity.
  5. inquisitor
    a questioner who is excessively harsh
    She looked at me the way an inquisitor must have glared at his poor victims.
  6. uppity
    arrogant or self-important
    “I didn’t ask for none of your uppity, mister.”
    “I don’t mean to be uppity,” I told her. “I’m just telling you the truth...."
  7. theological
    of or relating to or concerning the study of religion
    He was not educated, hadn’t gone to any theological school; he had heard the voice and started preaching.
  8. pleat
    make folds in a garment or piece of fabric
    She wore a blue blazer and a maroon pleated skirt. A black patent-leather purse hung from her right shoulder.
  9. mantelpiece
    a shelf that projects from a wall above a fireplace
    On the mantelpiece were three pictures, in five-by-seven wood frames: one of Vivian and me, one of my mother, and one of my father.
  10. complexion
    the coloring of a person's face
    “About your complexion, very fair.”
  11. rustic
    characteristic of rural life
    She looked around the room. “I love it. Rustic.”
    “It’s rustic, all right. Probably the most rustic place you will ever visit.”
  12. pastoral
    idyllically rustic
    “Pastoral,” she said.
    “That too,” I said. “With the singing and praying up at the church, really pastoral.”
  13. derrick
    a simple crane having lifting tackle slung from a boom
    Vivian stood at the back door, looking across the yard toward the field, where some of the cane had been cut. The cane had not been hauled to the derrick yet, and it was lying across the rows.
  14. ashen
    pale from illness or emotion
    Above, a low ashen sky loomed over the plantation, if not over the entire state of Louisiana.
  15. loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    Above, a low ashen sky loomed over the plantation, if not over the entire state of Louisiana.
  16. alight
    settle or come to rest
    A swarm of black birds flew across the road and alighted in a pecan tree in one of the backyards to our left.
  17. contemplate
    look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
    She turned to Vivian, not saying anything, just contemplating her.
  18. caste
    social status conferred by a system based on class
    My aunt knew how to make you feel that she was of a lower caste and you were being too kind to her.
  19. vex
    disturb the peace of mind of
    “I never asked to be born.”
    “Neither did I,” I said. “But here I am. And I’m trying to make the best of it.”
    “Like coming here vexing me?” he asked.
    “Am I vexing you, Jefferson?”
  20. heartrending
    causing or marked by grief or anguish
    But I recognized his grin for what it was—the expression of the most heartrending pain I had ever seen on anyone’s face.
  21. precedent
    an example that is used to justify similar occurrences
    The sheriff’s wife greeted them graciously and set a precedent by having them sit in the living room, while her maid served them coffee.
  22. sentiment
    a personal belief or judgment
    “My sentiments exactly,” the sheriff said. “But if we put him in handcuffs and leg chains?”
  23. shackle
    a restraint that confines or restricts freedom
    “If he wants to come in the dayroom in shackles—all right. If he wants to stay in his cell unshackled—all right. But cell or dayroom, if I notice any aggravation, I stop all visits...."
  24. inflection
    the patterns of stress and intonation in a language
    His expression hadn’t changed, and there was no change of inflection in his voice.
  25. alabaster
    a fine-textured white gypsum used for carving
    Baby Jesus was a white alabaster doll dressed in a long white gown.
  26. inclement
    severe, of weather
    Then he thanked God for letting us see a brand-new day and for allowing us to gather together in His house in such inclement weather.
  27. afflicted
    grievously affected especially by disease
    He asked God to go with all the sick and afflicted, both at home and in the hospitals across this land.
  28. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
    He closed by beseeching God to look down upon this humble little church and bless this gathering.
  29. humble
    low or inferior in station or quality
    He closed by beseeching God to look down upon this humble little church and bless this gathering.
  30. nativity
    the event of being born
    “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” came next, and led into the nativity scene.
Created on Thu Apr 16 21:13:32 EDT 2020 (updated Mon Apr 20 16:04:53 EDT 2020)

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