Sula Vocab

Repugnance
n.
Strong distaste.
“All of their repugnance was contained in the neat balance of triangles…(when talking about hospital food.”
Most people feel a strong repugnance towards necrophilia.

Abate
v.
To reduce.
“…Shadrack was suffering from a blinding headache, which was not abated by the comfort he felt when the policeman pulled his hands away…”
Milton was a lawyer known for getting his clients the shortest sentences possible, earning him the nickname ‘Master Abater.’

Unequivocal
Adj.
Clear, absolute.
“A black so definite, so unequivocal, it astonished him.”
It is unequivocal that Max is Ben’s favorite student.

Quell
v.
To suppress or put an end to.
“If this tall, proud woman…who could quell a roustabout with a look, if she were really custard, there was a chance that Nel was too.”
Abolitionist’s worked to quell slavery.

Guile
n.
Clever or crafty behavior.
“Her flirting was sweet, low and guileless.”
Max uses his detective-like guile to charm the ladies.

Fastidious
Adj.
Particular, critical.
“Hannah was fastidious about whom she slept with.”
Max’s fastidious opinions slowed down the progress on constructing the Empire State Building.

Vitriol
n.
Critisism.
“…that…made them defend her and protect her from any vitriol that newcomers or their wives might spill.”
The war in Iraq resulted in much vitriol from the more sensible of Americans.

Insouciant
Adj.
Carefree.
“…children looked like three wild things happily insouciant in the May shine.”
Ahh, the insouciant nature of a summer day.

Contrive
v.
To plot.
“Their evidence against Sula was contrived…”
Max began to contrive world domination at the ripe age of three.

Pariah
n.
An outcast.
“She was a pariah, then, and knew it.”
I love the song “Spottieottiedopaliscious” by the rap group Pariah…or is it Outkast?