Category Archives: Glossary

Inefficiency

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noun

Inefficiency – the quality or state of being inefficient

The word inefficiency which was found on page 9, it quoted  “It had grown into a machine. It was now a show place in the black belt, exemplification of the white rain’s magnanimity, refutation of the black man’s inefficiency” in this quote the word was used toward a black man which stated black man aren’t capable and useless, this just show racism in my opinion. This is saying that black man is not capable to do things, example work, or being successful in society.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inefficiency

Satisfied

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Transitive verb

Satisfied – to carry out the terms of (something, such as a contract)

The word Satisfied was used on page 6 of  “Quicksand” by Nella Larsen, is a fitted word to use to describe my topic of  racism, because no matter where Helga goes she is still not accepted by people. In the novel the word was used in the quotes “And then he had spoken of contentment, embellishing his words with scriptural quotations and pointing out to them that it was their duty to be satisfied the estate to which they had been called, hewers of wood and drawers of water” this show that the negros or mix race should have been satisfied with how they are treated in society.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satisfy

Negligee

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negligee- informal attire usually made of a sheer fabric.

negligee: a noun

E.g a robe, night gown

Helga Crane was described wearing it at an early part of the book while she is still at Naxos reading in her room.

“In vivid green and gold negligee and glistening brocaded mules, deep sunk in the big high-backed chair, against whose dark tapestry her sharply cut face, with skin like yellow satn, was distinctly outlined, she was- to use a hackneyed word- attractive.” (page 36)

the word comes from the French word négligé which literally meant neglected, which I found interesting. I am actually embarrassed, I knew this word, I just did not know that this was how it was spelled.

Insidiously

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Insidiously (adverb) – awaiting a chance to entrap

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insidious

“The incident left her profoundly disquieted. Her old unhappy questioning mood came again upon her, insidiously stealing away more of the contentment from her transformed existence.” (pg.113)

The characteristic of non-optimistic questioning appeared again as if it was waiting for the chance to come out and seize it’s moment. Which wounded up making her unhappy about her life.

Satin

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Satin (noun)- A smooth, glossy fabric, usually of silk, produced by a weave in which the threads of the warp are caught and looped by the weft only at certain intervals.

  1. ‘flowing skirts made of satin, chiffon, and velvet’ 
  2. [as modifier] ‘a blue satin dress’                    

“A slight girl of twenty-two, with narrow, sloping shoulders and delicate but well-turned arms and legs, she had, none the less an air of radiant, careless health. In vivid green and gold negligee and glistening brocaded mules, deeply sunk in the big high-backed chair, against whose dark tapestry her sharply cut face, with skin like yellow satin, was distinctly outlined, she wasn’t to use a hackneyed word-attractive.”

From: Quicksand: chapter 1, page 36

Helga Crane loves to wear bright colors whether it’s inside the house or outside. Therefore, she more pays attention to her skincare as well. For a women skin, care is the most important thing in order to look beautiful inside the cloths. Helga skin is very silky and soft like a Sation and it makes her look more attractive.

Source: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/satin

Exhortation

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Exhortation: noun: language intended to incite and encourage

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhortation

From: “Quicksand” by Nella Larsen – Chapter 20, Page 141

“Helga Crane was amused, angry, disdainful, as she sat there, listening to the preacher praying for her soul. But though she was contemptuous, she was being too well entertained to leave. And it was, at least, warm and dry. So she stayed. listening to the fervent exhortation to God to save her and to the zealous shoutings and groanings of the congregation.”

Exhortation is used to describe the passionate words of the congregation when they were speaking to God to save Helga.

Ardor

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Ardor;Noun

extreme vigor or energy

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ardor

I encountered this word on page 225

“She was anxious to be a true help-
mate, for in her heart was a feeling of obliga-
tion, of humble gratitude.
In her ardor and sincerity Helga even
made some small beginnings. True, she was not
very successful in this matter of innovations.”

I knew that this word was connected to sincerity in a way but I could not tell which way. This passage now makes more sense because it fits with her characterization as the preachers wife.Helga has shown that she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere.Not with her family,not with her friend who shares the same tastes,not with black people in Harlem and not even at a place where she was pampered.Helga saw a chance here and took it.Now shes loved as the preachers wife and shes trying hard to be perfect and teach others to be aesthetically pleasing.Her life as the preachers wife has made her work hard because she thinks shes going to get what shes always wanted.A family,a place to belong.Helga is putting as much energy as she can into this situation because she does not want o lose the only chance she believes she has at happiness/a place to belong.

Pretentious

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Pretentious (adjective) – making demands on one’s skill, ability, or means

Source – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretentious

From “The Complete Fiction of Nella Larson” by Nella Larsen, “Quicksand” Chapter 17 Page 125

“The easement which it’s heedless abandon brought to her was a real, a very definite thing. She liked the sharp contrast to her pretentious stately life in Copenhagen.”

Here, the word pretentious is used to describe how Helga has established a life full of comfort and extravagant living in Copenhagen.

Tumult

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Tumult (noun) – disorderly agitation or milling about of a crowd usually with uproar and confusion of voices.

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumult

From “The Complete Fiction of Nella Larson” by Nella Larsen, “Quicksand” Chapter 20 Page 142

“About her the tumult and the shouting continued, but in a lesser degree.”

The word tumult is used to describe how the disturbing loud commotion gradually became lower.

Ascetic

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Ascetic:Adjective

“practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline”

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascetic

This word was encountered on pg 211

“Robert Anderson’s inexorable conscience that
had been the chief factor in bringing about her
second marriage—his ascetic protest against

the sensuous, the physical. ”

I have never seen this word before so I had zero clue what it meant. However since protest came after it I thought it meant either violent or non violent. Now that I know what it means I realized that it could mean either or,plus neither.