Journal 6
Layne Pierce
Layne Pierce
Honors English III
Ms. Bumgardner
December 21, 2012
Vocab
Disparage- (verb) To criticize or make seem less important
-“When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated and the winner writes the history books- books that glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe.”(Brown, 417)
Reverence-(noun) Admiration, respect
-“Even so, many art historians suspected Da Vinci's reverence for the Mona Lisa had nothing to do with its artistic mastery.” (Brown, 127)
Keystone-(noun) The central piece that holds the rest of the pieces of a puzzle or building together.
-“If the Senechaux were dead, then Sauniere had no options, he would have to transfer the keystone to someone.” (Brown, 340)
Visage-(noun) One’s face, with relevance to their facial expressions.
-“Vernet’s visage turned ice cold.” (Brown, 340)
Predilection-(noun) A special liking or enjoyment of something.”
-“Langdon rolled his eyes at Sophie, well accustomed to Teabings predilection for dramatic antics.” (Brown, 361)
Inkling-(noun)A small suggestion, or vague understanding
“…And I had no inkling that they lived an entirely different sort of life on the outside.” (Quinn, 15)
Disconcerted-(adjective)Disturbed, confused bewildered.
-“I have never been so disconcerted with a human gaze, so I placidly returned his stare.”
Epistemology-(noun) A branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge.
-“I don’t remember what the assignment was, something to do with epistemology.” (Quinn,96)
Anachronisms- (noun) Something chronologically inappropriate.
“It’s true that there are still leavers in the world, but these are anachronisms, fossils--- People living in the past, people who just don’t realize that their chapter in human history is over. (Quinn, 42)
Axiom-(noun) self evident truth requiring no truth.
“We’ve spent a lot of today looking at one of your most impressive monuments, an axiom stating that there is no way to obtain any certain knowledge about the way people should live.(Quinn, 90-91)
Caterwaul-(verb) To make a long, harsh cry.
-“The caterwauling horns had reached a crescendo.”(Fitzgerald, 55)
Commensurate-(adjective) Of equal extent or duration
- “..for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder" (Fitzgerald,180).”
Infinitesimal-(adjective) Extraordinarily small.
-“After an infinitesimal hesitation he included Daisy with a slight nod, and she winked at me again." (Fitzerald, 13)
Nordic-(Adjective or noun) Of or relating to someone of Scandinavian descent, or to the cultures of Scandinavia; A person who is Scandinavian or has Scandanavian ancestry.
-"This idea is that we're Nordics. I am, and you are, and you are, and- " (page 13)
Provocation-(Noun)The act of provoking
-"We were sitting at a table with a man of about my age and a rosy little girl, who gave way upon the slightest provocation to uncontrollable laughter,"(Fitzgerald, 39)
“Everyone in your culture knows this. Man was born to turn the world into paradise, but tragically he was born flawed. And so his paradise has always been spoiled by stupidity, greed, destructiveness, and shortsightedness.” (Quinn, 183)
-This explains the common belief shared between all humans. It is demeaning in a way, and uses the word “knows” rather than thinks to suggest that there is no doubt in man’s mind concerning this mythology.
“There is no secret knowledge; no one knows anything that can’t be found on a library shelf.”
-This means that every bit of discovered scientific and historical knowledge can be found in a library, but people do not search hard enough. If people use their own sense of interpretation perhaps people would be smarter. (Quinn, 5)
"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." (Fitzgerald,1)
-This quote is pretty self-implied. It basically means don’t think bad about anyone you haven’t gotten to know, because you don’t know what circumstances that they have been through.
"I hope she'll be a fool--that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool...” (Fitzgerald, 17)
-This regards the complete lack of appreciation men had for women’s brains. Daisy is basically saying, if she is pretty, she will be happier than if she is smart. This also shows the ideology, still very accepted at this time.
“Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire.” (Brown, 288)
-This means fear is a better motivator than incentive. If someone feels threatened enough, they will abandon what they have sought after.
“By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.”( Brown,417)
-This goes along with the theory that the winners write the history books. Since the opposing culture is often obliterated, there is no longer an influence that can be found that suggests that the winners are wrong. This is how history goes.
“The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven…The Bible is the product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.” (Brown, 250)
-Though a controversial statement in the eyes of many, historically this is very accurate. It relates to my beliefs, because I have also seen this to be true on several occasions and I wish that people would not use it to justify their wrongs.
“Those who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are metaphorical.”(Brown, 370)
-This means that people who actually understand their faith to a full extent realize that not all of the stories of the bible, the Quran or the Torah to be metaphorical. They are supposed to be teachings, rather than cold, hard historical fact.
"We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything."(Golding, 38)
-This shows the mindset of some upper class British people. They feel superior to many other nations around the world. (Key word some)
“The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away." (Golding, 91)
-This means that all sense of familiarity and structure had disappeared. They are growing more savage.
Brown, Dan. The Da Vinci Code: A Novel. New York: Doubleday, 2003. Print.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1996. Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume Book, 1994. Print.
Paolini, Christopher. Inheritance, Or, The Vault of Souls. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Print.
Quinn, Daniel. Ishmael. New York: Bantam/Turner Book, 1995. Print.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit. New York: Ballantine, 1937. Print.
Rachel Bumgardner
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