scurry-to go or move quickly or in haste
tantrums-a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill temper.
sulk-to remain silent or hold oneself aloof in a sullen, ill-humored, or offended mood
fixate-to fix; make stable or stationary.
moonbeams-ray of moonlight.
whimpers-to cry with low, plaintive, broken sounds
cringes-to shrink, bend, or crouch, esp. in fear or servility; cower.
daggers-a short, swordlike weapon with a pointed blade and a handle, used for stabbing.
calluses-a hardened or thickened part of the skin; a callosity
clenched-to close (the hands, teeth, etc.) tightly.
shrivel-to contract and wrinkle, as from great heat, cold, or dryness.
twat- outcome
Thursday, November 12, 2009
new words found in chapters 7 and 8
disperse-to drive or send off in various directions; scatter
innate-existing in one from birth; inborn; native
brutality-the quality of being brutal; cruelty; savagery.
enduring-patient; long-suffering
clambering-of or pertaining to plants that creep or climb like vines, but without benefit of tendrils.
devour-to swallow or eat up hungrily, voraciously, or ravenously.
engulfed-to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge
discreet-judicious in one's conduct or speech, esp. with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.
agonizing-accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress
grieve-to feel grief or great sorrow
innate-existing in one from birth; inborn; native
brutality-the quality of being brutal; cruelty; savagery.
enduring-patient; long-suffering
clambering-of or pertaining to plants that creep or climb like vines, but without benefit of tendrils.
devour-to swallow or eat up hungrily, voraciously, or ravenously.
engulfed-to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge
discreet-judicious in one's conduct or speech, esp. with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.
agonizing-accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress
grieve-to feel grief or great sorrow
new words found in chapters 5 and 6
enforcer-the member of a group, esp. of a gang, charged with keeping dissident members obedient.
timid-lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy.
heinous-hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible
lotus-a plant believed to be a jujube or elm, referred to in Greek legend as yielding a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness in those who ate it.
communal-used or shared in common by everyone in a group
dissipates-to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel
crude-in a raw or unprepared state; unrefined or natural
dysentery- Pathology. an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic.
timid-lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy.
heinous-hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible
lotus-a plant believed to be a jujube or elm, referred to in Greek legend as yielding a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness in those who ate it.
communal-used or shared in common by everyone in a group
dissipates-to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel
crude-in a raw or unprepared state; unrefined or natural
dysentery- Pathology. an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic.
chapters 3 and 4 of new words found
grunt-to utter the deep, guttural sound characteristic of a hog
whimpers-to cry with low, plaintive, broken sounds.
probe-to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely
burrows-a hole or tunnel in the ground made by a rabbit, fox, or similar animal for habitation and refuge.
pangs-a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing
comrade-a person who shares in one's activities, occupation, etc.; companion, associate, or friend.
gnaw-to bite or chew on, esp. persistently.
whimpers-to cry with low, plaintive, broken sounds.
probe-to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely
burrows-a hole or tunnel in the ground made by a rabbit, fox, or similar animal for habitation and refuge.
pangs-a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing
comrade-a person who shares in one's activities, occupation, etc.; companion, associate, or friend.
gnaw-to bite or chew on, esp. persistently.
fist 2 chapters of new words
cyclo-
a three-wheeled pedaled or motorized taxi in southeast Asia; rickshaw.
slender-having a circumference that is small in proportion to the height or length
cleaver-a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, esp. one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.
perch-any place or object, as a sill, fence, branch, or twig, for a bird, animal, or person to alight or rest upon.
keav-chinese food with thick sauce
obedient-obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority
depicts-to represent by or as if by painting; portray; delineate
a three-wheeled pedaled or motorized taxi in southeast Asia; rickshaw.
slender-having a circumference that is small in proportion to the height or length
cleaver-a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, esp. one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.
perch-any place or object, as a sill, fence, branch, or twig, for a bird, animal, or person to alight or rest upon.
keav-chinese food with thick sauce
obedient-obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority
depicts-to represent by or as if by painting; portray; delineate
Connections pg 6
At five I also know I am a pretty child, for I have heard adults say to Ma so many times how ugly I am. "Isn't she ugly?" her friends would say to her. " What black shinny hair, look at her brown, smooth skin!. That heart-shaped face makes one want to reach out and pinch those dimpled apple cheeks. Look at those full lips and her smile! Ugly!"
"Don't tell me I am ugly!" I would scream at them and they would laugh
That was before Ma explained to me that in Cambodia people don't outright compliment a child. They don't want to call attention to the child. It is believed that evil spirits easily get jealous when they hear a child being complimented, and they may come and take away the child to the other world.
This part of the book reminds me of the Chinese superstitions that my parents had told me about when I was little. The superstition was about a devil coming to murder us. If we are 1 years old as soon as we are born nothing happened to us but, if they said we were not 1 years old the day we are born a devil comes and murders us.
"Don't tell me I am ugly!" I would scream at them and they would laugh
That was before Ma explained to me that in Cambodia people don't outright compliment a child. They don't want to call attention to the child. It is believed that evil spirits easily get jealous when they hear a child being complimented, and they may come and take away the child to the other world.
This part of the book reminds me of the Chinese superstitions that my parents had told me about when I was little. The superstition was about a devil coming to murder us. If we are 1 years old as soon as we are born nothing happened to us but, if they said we were not 1 years old the day we are born a devil comes and murders us.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thoughts on voice.
OK, well it seams very obvious to me that this story is written using the voice of a child. This seamed very interesting to me because I wanted to know why Loung Ung decided to write the book in this voice, and not in a voice of her grown up looking back at the events. I defiantly feel that using this voice really adds personal feeling to the book. This voice allows you to see her problem the exact same way that she originally saw it. I feel that if it had been written any other way. Than it would change the whole feel of the book. What are your thoughts? Do you think that if Loung Ung had written it in a different voice, you would of read and thought of the book differently? Or would you read and think of the book the same as you did?
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