Flux

“‘All impurities burned out and ready for a glorious flux, and for that—more fire’” (600).

Noun

1. The action or process of flowing or flowing out

Translucent

“‘Does a craftsman, even in his old age, lose his hunger to make a perfect cup—thin, strong, translucent?’” (600).

Adjective

1. (of a substance) Allowing light, but not detailed images, to pass through; semitransparent

“Your kindness may be meanness now, and your bleak honesty fretful and conniving” (601).

Bleak

Adjective

1. without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary
2. (of an area of land) Lacking vegetation and exposed to the elements

Fretful

Adjective

1. Feeling or expressing distress or irritation

Conniving

Verb

1. Secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, or harmful) to occur
2. Conspire to do something considered immoral, illegal, or harmful

Mutinous

“Many units of the French army were mutinous” (572). East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Adjective

1. (of a soldier or sailor) Refusing to obey the orders of a person in authority
2. willful or disobedient

Doggedness

“We lost the flare of excitement and we had not yet put on the doggedness of a lost war” (572).

Noun

1. persistent determination
2. persistent in effort; stubbornly tenacious

“But people also turned inward to their private joys and tragedies to escape the pervasive fear and despondency” (572).

Pervasive

Adjective

1. (esp. of an unwelcome influence or physical effect) Spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people
2. Having the quality or tendency to pervade or permeate

Despondency

Noun

1. A state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage

Crucible

“I thought that once an angry and disgusted God poured molten fire from a crucible to destroy or to purify his little handiwork of mud” (600).

Noun

1. A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting and calcining materials at high temperatures.
2. A severe test, as of patience or belief; a trial

“But whereas a puppy will cringe away or roll on its back, groveling, a little boy may cover his shyness with nonchalance, with bravado, or with secrecy. And once a boy has suffered rejection, he will find a rejection even where it does not exist—or, worse, simply by expecting it” (444). East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Grovel

Verb

1. lie or move abjectly on the ground with one’s face downward
2. act in an obsequious manner in order to obtain someone’s forgiveness or favor

Nonchalance

Noun

1. the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care; a casual lack of concern

Bravado

Noun

1. a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate

Inflection

“‘This is for you,’ he said, and his tone had no inflection” (584).

Noun

1. modulation of the voice; change in pitch or tone of voice

Repose

“…the fingers curved and in repose” (584).

Noun

1. Temporary rest from activity, excitement, or exertion, esp. sleep or the rest given by sleep

“He was a vicious male gossip, insatiably curious and vindictive without malice” (526). East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Insatiably

[Adverb] (insatiable):adjective

1. (esp. of a desire) impossible to satiate or satisfy
2. voracious

Vindictive

Adjective

1. having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge
2. disposed or inclined to revenge

Malice

Noun

1. the intention or desire to do evil
2. wrong intention, esp. as increasing the guilt of certain offenses

Rebuff

“Where Aron was received, Cal was rebuffed for doing or saying exactly the same thing. And as a few strokes on the nose will make a puppy head shy, so a few rebuffs will make a boy shy all over” (444).

Verb

1. reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner

Noun

1. an abrupt or ungracious refusal or rejection of an offer, request, or friendly gesture

Truant

“Chief Heiserman made it a point to speak to the truant officer, who assured him that Cal not only had no record for playing hooky but actually was a very good student” (445).

[Adjective] (truant):noun

1. one who is absent without permission, especially from school
2. one who shirks work or duty
3. (adj) idle, lazy, or neglectful

Contort

“Adam’s face contorted and his eyes swelled and glistened with tears” (563). East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Verb

1. twist or bend out of its normal shape

Impudent

“…cushions on the couch covered with a bright and impudent print” (562).

Adjective

1. not showing due respect for another person; impertinent
2. shameless or brazenly immodest

Venison

“And, frankly, he didn’t care for venison anyway” (561).

Noun

1. meat from a dear

Percolator

“Lee had bought a percolator” (561).

Noun

1. a machine for making coffee

Opulence

“The opulence of having a teacher for each grade made deep impression on them” (421).

Noun

1. wealth; affluence
2. great abundance; profusion
3. luxury: wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living

Peevishly

“After a few moments Cal said peevishly, ‘I wish you’d get on with your lecture’” (568). East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

[Adverb](peevish): adj

1. easily irritated, esp. by unimportant things
2. querulous

Elusive

“‘Once, I think it was sherry that time, I developed the theory that the fastest and most elusive animals in the world are bats’” (568).

Adjective

1. difficult to find, catch, or achieve
2. difficult to remember or recall

Surly

“…He was as raw and angry as a surly dog and his hatred of himself turned outward toward everyone—a vicious cur he was, unloved, unloving.” (567).

Adjective

1. bad-tempered and unfriendly

Cur

Noun

1. an aggressive dog or one that is in poor condition, esp. a mongrel
2. a contemptible man

Perturbations

“‘Thou wilt die soon and thou are not yet simple nor free from perturbations, nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things, nor kindly disposed towards all…’” (565).

Noun

1. anxiety; mental uneasiness
2. a cause of such anxiety or uneasiness

Intrepid

“We knew he was intrepid, for he had held his own in various gunfights; besides, he looked like a sheriff—the only kind we knew about” (558). East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Adjective

1. resolutely courageous; fearless

Eminence

“‘And if anything should have happened to your brother, will you be able to sneak for yourself the eminence of being a murderer, snot-nose?’” (570).

Noun

1. fame or recognized superiority, esp. within a particular sphere or profession

Belligerence

“Lee could see the reactions flaring through Cal—the rage at insult, the belligerence, and the hurt feelings following behind and out of that—just the beginnings of relief” (570). East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Noun

1. aggressive or warlike behavior

Decadence

“In the old lands they say of us that we go from barbarism to decadence without an intervening culture” (570).

Noun

1. moral or cultural decline, esp. after a peak of achievement
2. behavior reflecting such a decline

Inscrutable

“He smiled to himself, the expression that is called inscrutable” (568).

Adjective

1. impossible to understand or interpret; impenetrable; mysterious