Vocabulary

Pentecostal- pertaining to any of various Christian groups, usually fundamentalist, that emphasize the activity of the holy spirit, stress holiness of living, and express their religious feelings uninhibitedly

"He did not care that I wore clothes I made for myself in home economics class, cotton print shirtwaists with crooked zippers and skirts hanging below my knees, outfits that only the Pentecostal girls wore."

Martha Whites- a brand of grits

"Martha Whites were a form of punishment only T. Ray could have dreamed up."

Pith helmets- helmets made of pith or cork and covered with cloth
"Pith helmets with netting, tools, and wax candles hung from nails near the front door, and a thin veneer of honey lay across everything."

Veneer- very thin layers of a substance strewn across an object

“Pith helmets with netting, tools, and wax candles hung from nails near the front door, and a thin veneer of honey lay across everything.”



Supers- the portion of the hive in which honey is stored
“’These are called supers,’ she said, setting one on the floor in front of me and removing the lid.”

Presumtuous- impertinently bold or forward

“I know it is presumtuous to compare my small life to hers, but I have reason to believe she wouldn’t mind; I will get to that.”



Perpetually: everlasting; continuing or enduring forever
“In the photograph by my bed my mother is perpetually smiling on me.”



Loafing: to idle away time
“If you see the bees loafing and lamenting, you can bet their queen is dead.”



Contemptible: despicable
“Inside, I felt small and contemptible, abandoned.”



Ignoramuses: extremely ignorant people
“We have reputations as ‘nigger lovers,’ which is how it is put to us, and when the ignoramuses ball up their notebook paper and throw it at Zach, which seems to be a favorite pastime between classes, Becca and I are just as likely to get popped in the head as he is.”