Unit 4: Vocabulary from Readings 3

Is it your contention we won the war, sir?

We lost Vicksburg by stupidity verging on treason.

JAMES: I would have said we lost Vicksburg because Grant was one thing no Yankee general was before him—
KELLER: Drunk? I doubt it.
JAMES: Obstinate.

KATE: Miss Annie. You see, she’s accustomed to helping herself from our plates to anything she—
ANNIE (EVENLY): Yes, but I’m not accustomed to it.

Let her this time, Miss Sullivan, it’s the only way we get any adult conversation. If my son's half merits that description.

Viney! I’m afraid what Captain Keller says is only too true, she'll persist in this until she gets her own way.

Silence for a moment, except for HELEN’S noises as she struggles to get loose; the KELLERS are a bit nonplused, and ANNIE is too darkly intent on
HELEN’S manners to have any thoughts now of her own.

HELEN bangs her toe on the chair and sinks to the floor, crying with rage and feigned injury; ANNIE keeps hold of her wrists, gazing down, while KATE rises.

Pity? For this tyrant? The whole house turns on her whims, is there anything she wants she doesn’t get?

She struggles with HELEN, while KELLER endeavors to control his voice.

He marches to the front door. KATE and JAMES follow him. Simultaneously ANNIE releases HELEN'S wrists, and the child again sinks to the floor, kicking and crying her weird noises.

ANNIE comes over to his door in turn, removing her glasses grimly; as KELLER outside begins speaking, ANNIE closes the door on JAMES, locks it, removes the key, and turns with her back against the door to stare ominously at HELEN, kicking on the floor.

She’s a hireling. Now I want it clear, unless there’s an apology and complete change of manner, she goes back on the next train! Will you make that quite clear?

He begins off left, finds his napkin still in his irate hand, is uncertain with
it, dabs his lips with dignity, gets rid of it in a toss to JAMES, and marches off.

I thought what she said was exceptionally intelligent.