The Lilies of the Field :: essays papers

Vocabulary From â€Å"The Lilies of the Field† Amiable- to be friendly and noble. â€Å"A sculptor would have interpreted the features in terms of character, but Homer Smith’s mother had once said of him that he was two parts amiable and one part plain devil.†Antagonism- to be angry; hostile.â€Å"Homer felt antagonism stir in him, but it was a fine day and he was carrying the day in his spirit.† Pantomime- a routine â€Å"She went through the pantomime of shaking hands with one of the nuns and he told her what she was doing, pointing out the â€Å"you† and the â€Å"her.† â€Å"Segregated- to be set separated from others.â€Å"â€Å"If you learn English from me,† he said apologetically, â€Å"you’re sure enough going to get yourselves segregated some places.†Ã¢â‚¬Å" Dilemma- a problem that has multiple solutions but all having a downfall. â€Å"She did not have the authority to except gifts, but she lacked the vocabulary necessary to refuse acceptance or to explain her dilemma.†Debris- Left over wreckage.â€Å"The warmth of the day touched his skin and he was looking toward the debis in the foundation. Alternative- another way or idea. â€Å"He created a refuse pile that would have to be leveled off some day but he had no alternative and it did not worry him.† Ultimately- above all else â€Å"She wants a place ultimately for poor boys from the city; Spanish-speaking boys who get in trouble.† Exultation- rejoice â€Å"Loneliness had long since dropped away from him and he felt exultation.† Elude- escaped â€Å"He wanted to mingle his voice with these others but the words eluded him so long as he regarded them as words; when he thought of them merely as sounds, they made a pattern in his mind.† Reverence- purity.â€Å" When he walked to the station wagon, he was empty of thought but was filled with the throbbing sound, a happy feeling of reverence.† Dismay- to be afraid.â€Å" The expenditure dismayed him but he assured himself that he would pay the money back to his fund out of his pay on Friday.†Voracious- hungry He turned to his right on a rutted road and the nuns were in the field, working on their variegated crop, fighting for their growing stuff against weeds and voracious insects and the parched dryness of the soil.† Reluctant- unwilling. â€Å"He did not know whether he would still have a job with Livingston Construction Company and he was reluctant to leave his own job unguarded.