Fever 1793: Chapter 25–Epilogue

by Laurie Halse Anderson
Mattie Cook's simple life in Philadelphia is shattered when an epidemic of yellow fever rages through the city in the summer of 1793. Attempting to flee with her grandfather, Mattie finds that escaping disaster won't be so simple.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–13, Chapters 14–19, Chapters 20–24, Chapter 25–Epilogue

Here are links to our lists for other works by Laurie Halse Anderson: Speak, Speak: The Graphic Novel, Chains, Shout
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. melancholy
    grave or even gloomy in character
    All is thick and melancholy gloom.
  2. resolutely
    showing firm determination or purpose
    “He’ll be fine, and those babies will be fine,” said Mother Smith resolutely as she patted Joseph’s arm.
  3. putrid
    in an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor
    She dosed the boys regularly and gently to purge the putrid bile from their bodies, but it seemed to have little effect.
  4. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    On the fourth day — no, it must have been the fifth — an ominous silence pressed in on the room as the fever penetrated deeper.
  5. poultice
    a medical dressing spread on a cloth and applied to the skin
    We worked frantically drawing water, washing the burning bodies, and trying every herb, tea, and poultice to break the fever and banish the infection.
  6. parched
    dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight
    I followed the jumping light into the garden, where dry stalks pointed to the skies like scrawny fingers, and rotted, wormy vegetables sank into the cracks of the parched soil.
  7. sluggish
    moving slowly
    The cat ignored me and pounced on a sluggish beetle that lumbered under a leaf.
  8. fetid
    offensively malodorous
    The fetid stench that had hung over the city for weeks was gone, replaced with brittle, pure air.
  9. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Those of us who had remained behind were gaunt and pale.
  10. larder
    a small storeroom for storing foods or wines
    “I couldn’t cheat Eliza, I can barely sneak a piece of cheese from the larder without feeling bad.”
  11. proprietor
    someone who owns a business
    “I’m to ask for the proprietor of Cook’s.”
  12. plague
    any epidemic disease with a high death rate
    I am pleased that he has come through the plague days.
  13. entourage
    the group following and attending to some important person
    Following behind the president’s entourage came a scraggly parade of wagons and carriages.
  14. bunkum
    nonsense; empty or foolish talk or behavior
    “Bunkum,” Mother said.
    Mrs. Ludington smiled. “It’s not bunkum, Lucille.”
  15. solitary
    single and isolated from others
    These solitary minutes each morning were fast becoming a habit.
Created on Tue Oct 20 21:44:46 EDT 2015 (updated Thu Jun 12 16:26:25 EDT 2025)

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