Sentence 10

"So the days, the last days, blow about in memory, hazy, autumnal, all alike as leaves: until a day unlike any other I've lived."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
The sentence begins with a relaxed tone until it shifts at "until a day unlike any other I've lived" and foreshadows that any routine or normality is about to be disrupted by an upcoming event. Repetition of the word days is found in  first part of the sentence. Following that, the days are compared and personified as leaves that blow about in memory. Memory is compared to the air on an a crisp, autumn day. The inclusion that the season is autumn creates imagery for the reader. For example, the classic leaves changing color from green to oranges, yellows, and browns along with a feeling of cool air.

(Source)

Sentence 9

"If I could find a real-life place that made me feel like Tiffany's then I'd buy some then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
On the subject of angst, Holly Golightly has a place shes goes to calm her nerves, a place called Tiffany's. She enjoys its quiet and proud atmosphere as it makes her feel safe and at peace with herself. In this sentence, she says that if she could find somewhere that gave her that same sense of tranquility and feeling of security, she would be able to settle down and retire her active, busy life. She would make a home for herself with furniture and officially consider the cat her own by naming it. The cat has never been considered not a pet, but a companion. Holly does not consider herself attached to the cat, but if she finds a place that she finds worthy of a home, she would allow herself to make personal connections with the things and the people around her. She will be able to open up and make relationships instead of being a solely independent individual.

(Source)

Sentence 8

"Mag Wildwood couldn't understand it, the abrupt absence of warmth on her return; the conversations she began behaved like green logs; they fumed but would not fire."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
When Miss Wildwood left the room momentarily, Holly Golightly informs her guests that the woman only appears to be healthy and clean. This causes the inhabitants of the room to feel a sense of disgust. Capote compares the friendliness of people to the cozy warmth of a fire and Miss Wildwood's conversations following Miss Golightly announcement to green logs, wood that will spark, but not ignite into a fire. People were willing to talk to her, but not willing to give her the same attention and affection that they may have given her previously. There is a slight rhythm to the sentence with the scattered alliteration first with the letter a in "abrupt absence," followed by the letter b in "began behaved," and also in "fumed" and "fire."

(Source)

Sentence 7

"He declares what we all know in the secret passages of our own nights, that although we long for perfect harmony, communion, and blending with another soul, this is a solo voyage."

"The Box Man - TeacherWeb." teacherweb.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014. <http://teacherweb.com/CA/EastlakeHighSchool/MarianaHughes/TheBoxMan.pdf>.

Commentary:
In this sentence, an aspect of human nature is described by the Box Man, who is an individual who has chosen a life of solitude and loneliness. He discusses the aspect of love and companionship between people. The Box Man says that "secret passages of our own nights," our hopes and dreams to find a companion for life cannot come true because of the nature of life. He states that no matter how much we want to be connected to another person, to "blend with another soul," life is a "solo voyage." The author compares life to a voyage or a journey through metaphor, adding the people are ultimately alone in life, even if surrounded by loved ones.

(Source)

Sentence 6

"It was as though her eyes were shattered prisms, the dots of blue and gray and green like broken bits of sparkle."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:

In this sentence, Capote provides heavy imagery on the eyes of Miss Holly Golightly. With the words "shattered prisms," the reader envisions shards of fragmented crystal structures. Following that, the shards are revealed to be multicolored with blue, gray, and green and are compared to "broken bits of sparkle" through simile. The "bits of sparkle" creates an image of something that twinkles in the light such as glitter or pixie dust. This sentence produces a crystal clear depiction of Miss Golightly's eyes.

(Source)

Sentence 5

"Imagination, of course, can open any door -  turn the key and let terror walk right in."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Commentary:
This sentence contains primarily abstract diction with figurative language. For example, personification is found when imagination is given the ability to "open any door" and when terror is permitted to "walk right in." When speaking of imagination opening doors, Capote means to say that the mind is able to create endless, infinite opportunities and scenarios for one to wander.  One of these "doors," when opened, has the ability to emotion in, one being terror. The sentence contains some informal or casual language as well with the phrases "of course" and "walk right in."

(Source)

Sentence 4

"Then, touching the brim of his cap, he headed for home and the day's work, unaware that it would be his last."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Commentary:

Capote, through this sentence, creates a sense of foreboding and informs the reader that something terrible is about to happen, that the character, Mr. Clutter, is going to die soon. He employs simple vocabulary and simple imagery with "touching the brim of his cap." It is such a simple act and with the words "headed for home and the day's work" present a sense of casualty. The tone switches from casual to ominous when Capote states that Mr. Clutter has lived his final day. Dramatic irony is created because the reader, or the audience, is aware that Mr. Clutter is about to die, but the character himself is unaware of that fact, which results in an added intensity to the sentence. It's as if one can hear the "dun dun dun" found in the movies.

(Source)

Sentence 3

"Certain shades of limelight wreck a girl's complexion."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
Through Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Capote states that some light can hurt the appearance of a girl's face. This sentence can be seen as one with concrete or abstract diction. It's diction can be perceived as concrete or having a very literal meaning in the that some types of light, such as sunlight, the skin can sunburned and can lead to cancer.  As with abstract diction, the "shades of limelight:" could mean not light, but a figurative spotlight, unwanted attention that could affect a girl and damage her reputation. Also with strong verbs like "wreck" Capote emphasizes that horrible things could come from a certain shade of light, or specific amount of attention.

(Source)

(Source)

Sentence 2

"I said, 'Oh' with recognizable relief, 'oh' with a shameful, rising inflection, 'the movie.'"

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
In this sentence, Capote illustrates a common situation that readers face when they speak to those who have not read their favorite book, but have seen the movie adaptation and are criticizing the events in the film. They must listen to their complaints and their misunderstandings of certain elements of the movie. In the first half of the sentence, with the alliteration of "recognizable relief" the reader envisions a large sigh and instant relaxation of the face as the one realized that one would speak of the book in such a way. Continuing on with the inflection of voice, which completes the realization that the topic of discussion is the movie and not the book. The sentence contains imagery without an abundance of words and description.

(Source)

Sentence 1

"A beautiful day with the buoyancy of a bird."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Commentary:
Capote writes this sentence at the beginning of a paragraph to create a setting for the events to come. The sentence contains some alliteration with the letter b as well as euphonious words such buoyancy that give it a smooth rhythm. It is a simple, short sentence that gives that feeling of a light, easy day through the comparison of the day with the buoyancy of a bird, its ability to fly wherever it wishes and be carefree. The calming thought of floating or flying in the air causes the reader to expect a good, happy, and possibly lazy day in store for the characters involved in this part of the book.

(Source)

25 - diminutive

Diminutive

Original Source:

"'I've had some of these since I was a child. Daddy and Mama - all of us - spent part of most years in California. By the ocean. And there was a shop that sold such precious little things. These cups.' A set of doll-house teacups, anchored to a diminutive tray, trembled in the palm of her hand."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Definition*:

small; little; tiny.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Life can be easily lived in a diminutive puddle or travelled on a vast ocean of discovery but until you haze upon that sea of hope, vision and possibility, exploring, determining and pressing every button that enforces aspiration and action, you'll be unlikely to experience its symbolic drenching of success."

"Quote by Michael Khatkar: Life can be easily lived in a diminutive puddle...." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/790916-life-can-be-easily-lived-in-a-diminutive-puddle-or>.

Commentary:
I initially thought of diminutive to be a word meaning evil and that could characterize a villain. In the original source, Capote describes a small tray which holds a set of petite teacups that Mrs. Clutter keeps from her childhood. Khatkar, in the second source, illustrates life as something that can be chosen to be lived in either a small, confined space, or a boundless area full of experiences that one can explore.

24 - enigma

Enigma

Original Source:

"Where she found the time, and still managed to "practically run that big house" and be a straight-A student, the president of her class, a leader in the 4-H program and the Young Methodists League, a skilled rider, an excellent musician (piano, clarinet), an annual winner at the county fair (pastry, preserves, needlework, flower arrangement) - how a girl not yet seventeen could haul such a wagonload, and do so without "brag," with, rather, merely a radiant jauntiness, was an enigma that the community pondered, and solved by saying, "She's got character. Gets it from her old man."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Definition*:

1. a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation.
2. a person of puzzling or contradictory character.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Failure is an enigma. You worry about it, and it teaches you something."

"James Dyson at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jamesdyson509706.html>.

Commentary:
In the original source, Capote describes Nancy Clutter as a puzzling character, a young girl able to achieve astonishing feats at such a young age. In the second source, Dyson calls failure something that occurs to confuse people and make them think of their actions, therefore teaching a lesson so as not to repeat the same mistake the next time.

23 - abstemious

Abstemious

Original Source:

"He did not smoke, and of course he did not drink; indeed, he had never tasted spirits, and was inclined to avoid people who had - a circumstance that did not shrink his social circle as much as might be supposed, for the center of that circle was supplied by the members of Garden City's First Methodist Church, a congregation totaling seventeen hundred, most of whom were as abstemious as Mr. Clutter could desire.

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Definition*:

1. sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.
2. characterized by abstinence.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"When her guests were awash with champagne and with gin, She was recklessly sober, as sharp as a pin. An abstemious man would reel at her look, As she rolled a bright eye and praised his last book."

"William Plomer quote." When her guests were awash with champagne.... N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <http://www.quotesea.com/quote/whenherguestswereawashwithchampagneand>.

Commentary:
The word abstemious was an unfamiliar word, but upon looking up the definition, I realized the meaning may have been obvious had I thought of its resemblance to the word abstinent. Capote, in the first source, describes men in Mr. Clutter's local church, to be as restrained as he is when on the subject of smoking and drinking. Plomer, in the second source, describes a moderate man who watches a sober woman in the midst of her drinking, possibly drunk guests.

22 - myriad

Myriad

Original Source:

"Though Mrs. Clutter stored her clothes in the closets of this room, and kept her few cosmetics and her myriad medicine in the blue-tile-and-glass-brick bathroom adjoining it, she had taken for serious occupancy Eveanna's former bedroom, which, like Nancy's and Kenyon's rooms, was on the second floor."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Definition*:

a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"A good man often appears gauche simply because he does not take advantage of the myriad mean little chances of making himself look stylish. Preferring truth to form, he is not constantly at work upon the facade of his appearance."

"Iris Murdoch Quotations." memorablequotations.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <http://www.memorablequotations.com/murdoch.htm>.

Commentary:
Upon first sight of the word in In Cold Blood, I thought the word myriad to be a medical term referring to medicines, remedies, and healing. However, the word has a more numerical meaning. Capote describes Mrs. Clutter's supply of medicine as abundant, to help her with the conditions she lives with. Murdoch describes a "good man" as someone who may appear sloppy and socially unacceptable at times because he does not pay attention to the many aspects that would improve his appearance. He prefers an honest look rather than polishing himself for the sake of others.

21 - genial

Genial

Original Source:

"In other circumstances Mr. Clutter would have refused. His laws were laws, and one of them was: Nancy - and Kenyon, too - must be home by ten on week nights, by twelve on Saturdays. But weakened by the genial events of the evening, he had consented."

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Print.

Definition*:

warmly and presently cheerful; cordial.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"A person walking into a genial classroom know almost at once that it is a place dedicated to the celebration of learning and young minds; a cognitive greenhouse, so to speak, that honors and celebrates the capacities of each and every student. In a genial classroom, something new, in making novel connections, in confronting and overcoming challenges, in being surprised or delighted, intrigued or mystified, and indignant or outspoken the ideas and materials being presented."

"Quote by Thomas Armstrong: A person walking into a genial classroom knows...." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/722357-a-person-walking-into-a-genial-classroom-knows-almost-at>.

Commentary:
Genial, due to the sound of the word, made me think of the genie, a creature found in folklore. The genie that immediately popped into my head was the blue genie from Disney's Aladdin. Capote employs the word to describe the happy events of the night, the event being Mr. Clutter's daughter's performance in her school's production, which he states is the reason that he was lenient in his daughter's curfew rules for that time. Armstrong speaks of an ideal, cheerful classroom, where students are dedicated to their studying, enjoy learning, and are delighted to speak of new ideas and topics.

20 - niche

Niche

Original Source:

"The thesis is a single sentence that announces to your reader exactly what you intend to argue, to prove, to refute, to describe, to tell, or to explain. By convention, it is usually the final sentence of the first paragraph. Of course, this is not the only place a thesis can appear; but the final sentence of the first paragraph has evolved in classroom compositions as the most effective niche for the thesis, especially in the 500-word essay, which students are usually asked to write."

McCuen, Jo Ray, and Winkler Anthony C.. Readings for Writers. Cambridge, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishing Company, 2004. Print.

Definition*:

1. an ornamental recess in a wall or the like, usually semicircular in plan and arched, as for a statue or other decorative object.
2. a place or position suitable or appropriate for a person or thing.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"I am a big fan of Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, who have carved a niche for themselves. I think doing different kind of films gives you longevity and the ability to set yourself apart."

"Vir Das at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/virdas585095.html>.

Commentary:
I remember seeing the word niche as part of ecosystems in past years, so I have always thought it to be solely a scientific term. In the original source, authors McCuen and Winkler describe the final sentence of the first paragraph of an essay as the ideal location for a thesis. In the second source, Das discusses that the actors Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller have created a place for themselves in the world of movies because they have appeared in a variety of films, which has allowed them to be unique in their performances on screen.

19 - idiosyncrasy

Idiosyncrasy

Original Source:

"Nothing captures the spirit of an age better than a collections of its best cartoons. They seem to sum up in shorthand the idiosyncrasies of the time."

McCuen, Jo Ray, and Winkler, Anthony C.. Readings for Writers. Cambridge, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishing Company, 2004. Print.

Definition*:

a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"The key is working with great directors. A film is so many different people and all their talents, but particularly the directors, because of the idiosyncrasies of that person."

"Felicity Jones at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/f/felicityjo489148.html>.

Commentary:
In the first source, the word idiosyncrasy describes the characteristics of a set time that its best cartoons capture. Jones, in the second source, states that the habits and unique characteristics of directors play a large part in making a movie different from others.

This is Miranda Sings and like everyone, she has numerous idiosyncrasies, one being that she like to wear lots of red lipstick. (Source)

18 - flippant

Flippant

Original Sources:

"No doubt there are badly written cookbooks, but few are either published or read; flippant insurance companies go bankrupt; and pompous lovers have trouble finding mates. This desire of writers to please - to communicate with their audiences - is the basic law of rhetoric."

McCuen, Jo Ray, and Winkler, Anthony C.. Readings for Writers. Cambridge, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishing Company, 2004. Print.

Definition*:

frivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking in seriousness; characterized by levity.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"A flippant, frivolous man may ridicule others, may controvert them, scorn; but he who has any respect for himself seems to have renounced the right of thinking meanly of others."

"Thoughts On The Business Of Life." Thoughts and Quotes: A flippant, frivolou.... N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://thoughts.forbes.com/thoughts/respect-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-a-flippant-frivolous>.

Commentary:
Flippant makes me think of aquatic animals such as whales and dolphins, and penguins as well. I initially thought that flippant had a positive, happy connotation, when it has the opposite. In the original source, insurance companies are described as disrespectful organizations that go bankrupt due to their lack of success in business. In the second source, a shallow man and his scornful actions are compared to a man who has respect for himself and does not think cruelly of others.

17 - despotism

Despotism

Original Source:

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

"Internet History Sourcebooks." Internet History Sourcebooks. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/senecafalls.asp>.

Definition*:

the rule of a despot; the exercise of absolute authority.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Only the history of free peoples is worth our attention; the history of men under a despotism is merely a collection of anecdotes."

"Sebastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort Quote." Quonation. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://quonation.com/quote/33655>.

Commentary:
In the original source, Stanton, on behalf of women in the United States at the time, writes that men ruled over women with absolute authority and that they have the a right, a duty, to change their situation, their government, to provide a better future for later generations of women. In the second source, De Chamfort states that the history of men under absolute authority has been recurring and can be disregarded, while the history of men with freedom, on the other hand, is noteworthy.

16 - ameliorate

Ameliorate

Original Source:

"Bad writers, and especially scientific, political, and sociological writers, are nearly always haunted by the notion Latin or Greek words are grander than Saxon ones, and unnecessary words like expedite, ameliorate, predict, extraneous, deracinated, clandestine, subaqueous, and hundreds of other constant gain ground form the Anglo-Saxon numbers."

"George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946." George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm>.

Definition*:

to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve; meliorate.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"For reforms ameliorate the situation of the working class, they lighten the weight of the chains labour is burdened with by capitalism, but they are not sufficient to crush capitalism and to emancipate the workers from their tyranny."

"Clara Zetkin at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/clarazetki324373.html>.

Commentary:
The word ameliorate reminds me of the name Amelia. Orwell lists the word as one that is derived from Latin or Greek in the English language and one that he deems unnecessary. Zetkin, in the second source, employs the word to say that reforms make the situation of the working class better, but are not strong enough to dispose of capitalism.

15 - sordid

Sordid

Original Source:

"Adjectives like epoch-making, epic, historic, unforgettable, triumphant, age-old, inevitable, inexorable, veritable, are used to dignify the sordid process of international politics, while writing that aims at glorifying war usually takes on an archaic colour, its characteristic words being: realm, throne, chariot, mailed fist, trident, sword, shield, buckler, banner, jackboot, clarion."

"George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946." George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm>.

Definition*:

1. morally ignoble or base; vile.

2. meanly selfish, self-seeking, or mercenary.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Men are not to be told anything they might find too painful; the secret depths of human nature, the sordid physicalities, might overwhelm or damage them. For instance, men often faint at the sigh of their own blood, to which they are not accustomed. For this reason you should never stand behind one in the line at the Red Cross donor clinic.

"A Quote by Margaret Atwood on men, nature, pain, reason, and secrets." Stream of Consciousness: Your Guide to Better Living. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/authors/margaret-atwood/24245>.

Commentary:
Sordid sounds similar to the word sorted, but they do not share close meanings. Orwell, in the original source, discusses adjectives that are spoken in the English language that describe the process of international politics, which he views as morally ignoble. In the second source, Atwood states that "men cannot be told anything they might find too painful" such as the vile physicalities that may accompany an action, in this case, drawing blood.

14 - egregious

Egregious

Original Source:

"Above all, we cannot play ducks and drakes with a native battery of idioms which prescribes egregious collocations of vocables as the Basic put up with for tolerate, or put at a loss for bewilder."

"George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946." George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm>.

Definition*:

extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"I believe in the character of this football team... We made some egregious mistakes [Sunday]. But I believe in the character of these guys, and I'll stick by that character and support them to the end."

"Brian Billick quote." I believe in the character of this football.... N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. <http://www.quotesea.com/quote/i-believe-in-the-character-of-this-football>.

Commentary:
I originally thought egregious to have a positive definition, but in reality, it has a negative definition. In the original source, Orwell describes some words as being extraordinarily bad in the English language. Conversely, in the second source, egregious is incorporated into a positive statement. Billick believes in his football team and despite the fact that they made bad mistakes, he will continue to support them.

13 - zeitgeist

Zeitgeist

Original Source:

"Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. Consciously or unconsciously, he has been caught up by Zeitgeist, and with his black brothers of Africa and his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South American and the Caribbean, the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promise land of racial justice."

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html>.

Definition*:

the spirit, attitude, or general outlook of a specific time or period, esp as it is reflected in literature, philosophy, etc.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

Troye Sivan wrote a song that collectively summarized the major pop culture events that took place in 2013. The word Zeitgeist is found in the title of the video he uploaded with his song, which can be found on YouTube.

The 2013 Song - Zeitgeist 2013 (A Musical Zeitgeist) | Troye Sivan

Sivan, Troye. "The 2013 Song - Zeitgeist 2013 (A Musical Zeitgeist) | Troye Sivan." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 29 Dec. 2013. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.

Commentary:
I found this word to be interesting on first look due to the fact that in is derived from a different language. Zeitgeist is a German word. King employs the word to compile the history of all people and their ability to gain and earn their freedom, in this case, the African Americans gaining their freedom to be who they are without being discriminated against. In the second source, found in the title of a song about the year 2013 is fitting because it complies all of the main pop culture events that occurred that year.

12 - blatant

Blatant

Original Source:

"In the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities."

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html>.

Definition*:

1. brazenly obvious; flagrant.
2. offensively noisy or loud; clamorous.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"It is sometimes well for a blatant error to draw attention to over modest truths."

"Jean Rostand Quote." Quonation. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://quonation.com/quote/12555>.

Commentary:
Blatant is used in both sources with the word meaning obvious. King describes the injustices against African Americans as an obvious fact, while Rostand states that obvious errors can lead to a revelation of the truth.

11 - scintillating

Scintillating

Original Source:

"Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html>.

Definition*:

1. animated; vivacious; effervescent.

2. witty; brilliantly clever.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Dream is not a revelation. If a dream affords the dreamer some light on himself, it is not the person with closed eyes who makes the discovery but the person with open eyes lucid enough to fit his thoughts together. Dream - a scintillating mirage surrounded by shadows - is essentially poetry."

"QuotesOnDreamsAndAspirations." QuotesOnDreamsAndAspirations. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.skatingaheadofthecurve.com/QuotesOnDreamsAndAspirations.html>.

Commentary:
My first thought on the word scintillating were that it sounded cool and that it may have something to do with fire. However, the word does not necessarily relate to fire. In the original source, King has a hope, a dream that the "radiant stars of love and brotherhood" will shine upon the United States with their beauty and eradicate the fear that exists due to racial injustice. The author of the quote in the second source describes dreams as mirages that provide insight to those that know how to put his or her thoughts together.

10 - emulate

Emulate

Original Source:

"I have tried to stand between these two forces, saying that we need emulate neither the 'do-nothingism' of the complacent not the hatred and the despair of the black nationalist. For there is the more excellent way of love and nonviolent protest."

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html>.

Definition*:

to try to be equal or excel; imitate with effort to equal or surpass.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"There is no doubt that a dog is loyal. But does that mean we should emulate him? After all, he is loyal to people, not to other dogs."

"Quotations from Karl Kraus." PoemHunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com/quotations/famous.asp?people=karl%20kraus&p=6>.

Commentary:
I have encountered this words multiple times, but never quite knew what it meant. Emulate has a similar sound to imitate, which can aid one in remembering its definition. King employs the word to discuss what kind of attitude people must undertake in the issue of racial discrimination. Kraus asks if we should imitate the dog, "man's best friend," as they are loyal to others.

9 - incorrigible

Incorrigible

Original Source:

"Nourished by the Negro's frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination, this movement is made up of people who have lost faith in America, who have absolutely repudiated Christianity, and who have concluded that the white man is an incorrigible 'devil.'"

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html>.

Definition*:

not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"The idealist is incorrigible: if he is expelled from his heaven, he makes an ideal out of hell."

"Quotations on / about heaven." PoemHunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com/quotations/heaven/page-2/>.

Commentary:
Incorrigible has a similar spelling to incorruptible so naturally, I assumed the same shared a similar meaning. Incorrigible has a generally negative connotation, while incorruptible has a more positive connotation. King describes the white man, who has treated African Americans with unjust and cruel actions, as a devil who cannot be forgiven or made to change his ways. In the second source, the author calls the idealist incorrigible as he is able to change any situation through his mentality and therefore having a closed mind to what others wish him to experience.

8 - erratic

Erratic

Original Source:

"We are not talking here about the kind of notebook that is patently for public consumption, a structural conceit for binding together a series of graceful pensees; we are talking about something private, abut bits of the mind's string too short to use, an indiscriminate and erratic assemblage with meaning only for its maker." 

"On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion." h-ngm-n.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.h-ngm-n.com/storage/didion%20-%20on%20keeping%20a%20notebook.pdf>.

Definition*:

deviating from the usual or proper course in conduct or opinion; eccentric; queer.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"Success is an absurd, erratic thing. She arrives when one least expects her and after she has come may depart again almost because of a whim."

"Alice Foote MacDougall at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alicefoote403858.html>.

Commentary:
My first thought was that erratic meant violently shaking, when in actuality, the meaning has nothing to do with quick movement. Didion, in the original source, describes the assemblage of an atypical notebook that only has a purpose for its creator. MacDougall, in the second source, describes success as an odd, interesting thing that does not occur in a fixed fashion.

7 - predilection

Predilection

Original Source:

"I have no idea what turn of a five-year-old's mind could have prompted so insistently 'ironic' and exotic a story, but it does reveal a certain predilection for the extreme which has dogged me into adult life; perhaps if I were analytically inclined i would fin it a truer story than any I might have told about Donald Johnson's birthday party or the day my cousin Brenda put Kitty Litter in the aquarium."

"On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion." h-ngm-n.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.h-ngm-n.com/storage/didion%20-%20on%20keeping%20a%20notebook.pdf>.

Definition*:

a tendency to think favorably of something in particular; partiality; preference.

*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:

"But man has such a predilection for systems and abstract deductions that he is ready to distort the truth intentionally, he is ready to deny the evidence of his senses only to justify his logic."

"Quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky: But man has such a predilection for systems and...." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/439008-but-man-has-such-a-predilection-for-systems-and-abstract>.

Commentary:
The word predilection resembles the word prediction, so initially I thought the word to be a synonym. Didion and Dostoevsky both employ the word with the similar connotation. Didion speaks of a preference for the extreme in her early life and Dostoevsky speaks of man's preference for systems and abstract deductions.

6 - scrupulous

Scrupulous

Original Source:
"In this case, as opposed to the scrupulous method of plain good taste and scientific grooming, the trick had been worked by exaggerating defects; she'd made them ornamental by admitting them boldly."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Definition*:
1. having scruples; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
2. punctiliously or minutely careful, precise, or exact.
*All definition are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:
"A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he write, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?"

"George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946." George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm>.

Commentary:
Scrupulous made me think of the word delicious. So originally, I thought it's meaning was related to taste. In the original source, the word scrupulous is used to describe a principled method of good taste that in the case of Mags Wildwood, disregarded and behaved with obvious flaws, which proved to be beneficial to her character.

5 - beguile

Beguile

Original Source:
"She was a triumph over ugliness, so often more beguiling than real beauty, if only because it contains paradox."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Definition*:
to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.
*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:
Merlin and Gaius argue about the true intentions of the knight and sorcerer Mordred, who has been foretold to be the one to kill King Arthur in a prophecy.

"He's beguiled you. He's beguiled you all."

"The Drawing of the Dark 5x11."  Merlin. BBC One. 17 Nov. 2012. Television.

Commentary:
In regards to Miss Mags Wildwood, Capote describes her physical appearance by employing the word beguile, stating that her odd features possibly created a false sense of attractiveness that could be compared to true beauty. Merlin, when discussing the actions and sticking to his "gut-feeling" that something is not quite right about Mordred's actions, accuses Gaius, along with the citizens of Camelot, of being victims of the sorcerer's trickery.

Merlin accuses Gaius of being beguiled by Mordred and his actions. (Source)

4 - amiable

Amiable

Original Source:
"He perched there with the balance of a bird, his paws tangled in her hair as if it were knitting yarn; and yet, despite these amiable antics, it was a grim cat with a pirate's cutthroat face; one eye was gluey-blind, the other sparkled with dark deeds."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Definition*:
having or showing pleasant, good-natured personal qualities; affable.
*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:
"There is something so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one is sorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions."

"11 - Sense and Sensibility - Chapter 11 - Jane Austen (1775-1817)." 11 - Sense and Sensibility - Chapter 11 - Jane Austen (1775-1817). N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2014. <http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/jausten/bl-jausten-sen-11.htm>.

Commentary:
With the word amiable, Capote describes Holly Golightly's cat as one who behaves in a pleasant manner, but its physical appearance creates a different impression. Austen speaks of agreeable traits found in more inexperienced individuals that are sometimes cast aside to appease the pressures of societal views. Amiable bears resemblance to the word animal, and if one thinks of a good-natured animal, perhaps a pet, one could recall the meaning of the word easier.

3 - banal

Banal

Original Source:
"We had an irresistible guide, most of him Negro and the rest of him Chinese, and while I don't go much for one or the other, the combination of was fairly riveting: so I let him play kneesie under the table because frankly I didn't find him at all banal; but then one night he took us to a blue movie, and what do you suppose? There he was on the screen."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Definition*:
devoid of freshness or originality; hackneyed; trite.
*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:
"The range of verbs is further cut down by means of the -ize and de- formations, and the banal statements are given an appearance of profundity by means of the not un- formation."

"George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946." George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm>.

Commentary:
Through Holly Golightly, Capote expresses, through the word banal, that she found her guide not boring, but interesting. In the second source, Orwell explains what contributes to bland statements in the English language.

2 - qualm

Qualm

Original Source:
"She kept her promise to Mr. Yunioshi; or I assume she did not ring his bell again, for in the next days she started ringing mine, sometimes at two in the morning, three and four: she had no qualms at what hour she got me out of bed to push the buzzer that released the downstairs door."

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories. 2nd Vintage International ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2012. Print.

Definition*:
an uneasy feeling or pang of conscience as to conduct; compunction.
*All definitions are from the source found in THIS post.

Second Source:
"You'll see certain Pythagoreans whose belief in communism of property goes to such lengths that they pick up anything lying about unguarded, and make off with it without a qualm of conscience as if it had come to them by law."

"Quotations by the poet: Desiderius Erasmus - quote quotation saying." PoemHunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com/desiderius-erasmus/quotations/page-2/>.

Commentary:
Both Capote and Erasmus use the word qualm to speak of a person who performed actions without guilty feelings for what they have done, whether those actions be rude or controversial. Qualm has a similar sound to the word calm. Pythagoras and Holly Golightly were, in a sense, calm or unphased by their actions.

1 - noisome

Noisome

Original Source:
"It began as a little girl's houseplay, but as her desire changed so did the play. Quiet, primate and completely secret except for the noisome cologne signal that thrilled the rabbits before it confused them."

Morrison, Toni. Beloved: a novel. New York: Plume, 1988. Print.

Definition:
offensive or disgusting, as an odor.

"Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. <http://dictionary.reference.com/>.

Second Source:
"Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkissed."

"SCENE II. LEONATO'S garden.." SCENE II. LEONATO'S garden.. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. <http://shakespeare.mit.edu/much_ado/much_ado.5.2.html>.

Commentary:
Morrison includes the word noisome in her writing as an observation of a smell, while Shakespeare, through the character of Beatrice, employs the word in a decision or refusal to kiss Benedick. Noisome, though it may seem like it relates to the word noisy, has a different meaning completely. However, it also sounds somewhat like annoying, which is closer to the actual meaning.

Ugh. Such noisome breath. Someone clearly needs a mint. (Source)