African Town: Parts 3–4

by Irene Latham, Charles Waters
Told from different perspectives, this novel-in-verse was inspired by the true story of the ship Clotilda, which transported West Africans from Dahomey to Mobile, Alabama, where the slaves emancipated after the Civil War founded their own town.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Parts 1–2, Parts 3–4, Parts 5–6, Parts 7–9, Parts 10–11
40 words 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. seasoned
    rendered competent through trial and experience
    Alone in
    my throne room,
    I am first

    uncertain.
    I may be
    King Glèlè,

    but I’m not
    seasoned yet.
  2. raucous
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
    I’m so busy admiring the shell and the waves are so raucous, I don’t notice the men
    approaching until they are close enough to grab me.
  3. cunning
    marked by skill in deception
    I may
    be just cunning enough to get away from these men, but my sisters aren’t.
  4. prevail
    prove superior
    Each

    attack feels
    the same, and
    different:

    I know we
    will prevail
  5. concede
    be willing to yield
    Will they fight
    or concede?
  6. roil
    be agitated
    I’m useless as de world around me
    roils and boils.
  7. gritty
    composed of or covered with small particles
    De day
    showers us in dust and heat, but no food or
    water. My mouth turns gritty and my nose cakes.
  8. degradation
    a low or downcast state
    We’re like ghosts, our minds scrambled
    from degradation and lack of nourishment.
  9. adorned
    decorated or dressed up to be more beautiful or distinct
    We pass through de gate of an iron
    fence adorned with skull after skull
    after skull.
  10. throng
    a large gathering of people
    I can
    barely see for de tears flooding my eyes
    as dey march us past de throngs.
  11. stockade
    a place where persecuted groups are forcibly confined
    “Why are they doing this to us?” a woman
    cries as dey force us into a stockade.
  12. bounty
    the property of being richly abundant or plentiful
    I’ve never seen such bounty, even on
    de richest market day in Bantè!
  13. extravagant
    characterized by richness and abundance
    For each of us living prisoners,
    Glèlè offers de spirits even more extravagant gifts.
  14. glare
    look at with a fixed or angry gaze
    “But my name is Kossola,” I say.
    He glares at me. “Not anymore. Don’t
    need names in Ouidah.”
  15. salve
    a preparation applied externally as a soothing remedy
    Dey treat my rope burns with a salve
    that sucks de heat right out.
  16. apprehension
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    Eyes widen
    with fear and apprehension.
  17. facade
    a showy misrepresentation to conceal something unpleasant
    I must keep up this facade of kindness.
  18. scintilla
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
    I can say, without a scintilla of doubt,
    you don’t get this kind of welcome in Mobile.
  19. fetter
    a shackle for the ankles or feet
    They feed us
    rice, shackle us in iron neck
    fetters. Chain us.
  20. disposition
    a natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency
    These two young men—who could be my little brothers—have gentle dispositions that may make them vulnerable.
  21. prostrate
    lie face downward, as in submission
    When Akodé arrives, everyone prostrates.
  22. imbibe
    take in liquids
    We imbibe fermented potions
    to much laughter before getting down to brass
    tacks.
  23. foliage
    the collective amount of leaves of one or more plants
    My hay fever has let up. So, I take
    long walks. Admire the foliage and listen to
    insects chattering.
  24. apparition
    a ghostly appearing figure
    It happens so quickly I wonder if he’s an
    apparition.
  25. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    “You’ve bought the right to select 125
    captives.” If only I didn’t have to inspect them!
    It’s the same tedious procedure as when buying
    a horse.
  26. ruddy
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    De first time I see men with white skin,
    I think dey must be spirits. Dey don’t
    look real to me with their stringy hair
    and color variations of pale, ruddy,
    and blotchy.
  27. defiance
    an act boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    I pretend to be a stone and pray
    my small act of defiance

    helps them pass over Kêhounco quickly.
  28. muster
    summon up, call forth, or bring together
    We may be only two, but dignity is easier to muster as a team.
  29. necessarily
    in such a manner as could not be otherwise
    Being thorough in picking out
    my cargo doesn’t necessarily mean
    going slow.
  30. unparalleled
    radically distinctive and without equal
    A relative of his, a nobleman named
    Gumpa. He’s reportedly unparalleled
    in strength and dignity.
  31. perplex
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    It perplexes me
    why Akodé would offer up his own family.
  32. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
    They better not be surly tomorrow,
    because I won’t be in the mood for any
    foolishness.
  33. torrent
    an overwhelming number or amount
    As a stowaway, I suffered from seasickness.
    Now I could get smashed by a torrent of tornadoes
    and it wouldn’t cause me vertigo.
  34. scurvy
    a condition caused by deficiency of ascorbic acid
    I’ve survived

    scurvy, dysentery, and many other maladies.
  35. malady
    impairment of normal physiological function
    I’ve survived

    scurvy, dysentery, and many other maladies.
  36. bondage
    the state of being under the control of another person
    Some of my brothers in bondage cry then—
    especially Kupollee, whose cheeks
    look as if he got caught in a rainstorm.
  37. shackle
    a restraint that confines or restricts freedom
    At daybreak we are led out in shackles, so that we can only inch along like ducklings following their mother.
  38. emblazon
    decorate, adorn, or inscribe with a design
    I wonder if they can read the word
    SLAVE emblazoned upon each painted boat?
  39. capsize
    overturn accidentally
    Some capsize,
    spilling people who look just like us into the sea.
  40. avail
    a means of serving
    Here they come in canoes—human bodies shackled, scared, screaming.
    My whole frame revolts against the anchors that hold me, but to no avail.
Created on Sat Nov 25 15:27:34 EST 2023 (updated Sun Nov 26 17:03:16 EST 2023)

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