| A | B |
|---|
| inconspicuous | not noticeable |
| abstinence | restraining (usually means from sexual activity) |
| reconstituted | restored order to |
| errant | straying from proper course |
| dryad | a nymph inhabiting the forest |
| crochet | a type of knitting |
| maim | to wound or injure |
| sanctuary | a safe place of peace |
| potpourri | a mixture of dried flowers and spices to perfume a room; a various mixure of things |
| voila | a French word meaning "there it is!" |
| lumber | move in a slow, awkward way |
| bellows | n. a bag that emits air when squeezed; v. to emit a deep load roar in pain or anger |
| xenophobic | afraid of foreigners |
| patriarch | male head of a family or tribe |
| eurocentric | centered around European culture |
| laryngitis | irritation of voice box |
| suffragette | a woman seeking the right to vote |
| bibliography | list of books used |
| arborist | tree specialist |
| ostracize | to exclude someone |
| aesthetics | having to do with the beauty of something |
| synthesis | combining things or ideas |
| bourgeois | middle class |
| innumerable | too many to count |
| clavichord | small keyboard musical instrument |
| clavicle | collarbone |
| compulsory | required |
| digression | straying from the main topic |
| provocative | causing a strong reaction like anger, annoyance, sexual interest |
| reciprocal | given or done in return; a mutual reaction |
| D.B. | Holden's brother; a writer in Hollywood |
| Old Spencer | Holden's history teacher; Holden visits him before he leaves Pencey Prep |
| Allie | Holden's younger brother who died of leukemia 3 yrs before the start of the novel; Holden is tormented by his death and carries around his baseball glove |
| Phoebe | Holden's 10-yr-old sister whom he adores |
| Stradlater | Holden's roommate at Pencey; handsome, popular, but a "secret slob"; asks Holden to write his essay |
| Ackley | Holden's next door neighbor at Pencey; Holden's only (sort of) friend at Pencey; Holden says he has poor hygiene |
| Jane Gallagher | Holden's childhood friend - they played checkers together; one of the few girls Holden respects |
| Sally Hayes | attractive girl who Holden has known for a long time; Holden asks her to run away and get married |
| Mr. Antolini | Holden's former English teacher at Elkton Hills; he is the one who covered James Castle's body; Holden admires him but is alarmed when he wakes up and finds Mr. A patting his head |
| Sunny | prostitute that Holden |
| Maurice | Sally's pimp |
| Carl Luce | student at Colombia who was a student advisor at Whooton, 3 years older than Holden and knows a lot about sex |
| Old Thurmer | the headmaster at Pencey |
| Selma Thurmer | Pencey's headmaster's daughter; Holden sat next to her on the bus one time; unattractive, but he liked her because she wasn't phony |
| James Castle | classmate of Holden's at Pencey who committed suicide by jumping out the window |
| Lillian Simmons | one of D.B.'s friends, Holden sees her at Ernie's bar |
| Mrs. Morrow | Ernest Morrow's mother; Holden sits next to her on the train, gives her a fake name and tells her he has a brain tumor |
| Faith Cavendish | a girl (former stripper) that Holden calls when he first gets to NYC |
| Ernie | the piano player at Ernie's nightclub |
| Old Horowitz | Holden's cab driver; Holden asks him about the ducks |
| characterization | the author's expression of a character's personality through the use of action, dialogue, thought, or commentary by the narrator or another character. |
| conflict | the struggle within the story. Character divided against self, character against character, character against society, character against nature, character against God. Without it, there is no story. |
| dialogue | vocal exchange between two or more characters. One of the ways in which plot, character, action, etc. are developed. |
| imagery | the collection of images within a literary work. Used to evoke atmosphere, mood, tension. For example, images of crowded, steaming sidewalks flanking streets choked with lines of shimmering, smoking cars suggests oppressive heat and all the psychological tensions that go with it. |
| point of view | the vantage point from which the author presents action of the story. Who is telling the story? An all-knowing author? A voice limited to the views of one character? The voice and thoughts of one character? Does the author change point of view in the story? Why? Point of view is often considered the technical aspect of fiction which leads the critic most readily into the problems and meanings of the story. |
| symbol | related to imagery. It is something which is itself yet stands for or means something else. It tends to be more singular, a bit more fixed than imagery. For example, in William Carolos Williams’ poem “This is Just to Say,” the plums might be said to symbolize any desirable object that tempts a person into wrong or deceitful behavior. |
| tone | suggests an attitude toward the subject which is communicated by the words the author chooses. Part of the range of tone includes playful, somber, serious, casual, formal, ironic. Important because it designates the mood and effect of a work. |
| Melinda | protagonist, freshman in high school |
| Heather | new girl from out of town; self-centered, tries to win popularity |
| Rachel/Rachelle | Melinda's former best friend; her relationship with Andy Evans spurs Melinda to speak up |
| Mr. Neck | Melinda's history teacher; he abuses his authority in the classroom to push his own ideas until David Petrakis stands up to him |
| Mr. Freeman | Melinda's art teacher; he serves as a role model for her on how to use art to express and deal with difficult emotions |
| The Marthas | popular group of girls that Heather wants to join |
| David Petrakis | Melinda's lab partner; role model and friend to Melinda; stands up to Mr. Neck |
| IT/Andy Evans | antagonist; Melinda's rapist |
| Hair Woman | Melinda's English teacher |
