english 9 ac poetry vocab + spring final study guide

moralistic

characterized by strong feelings of what is right and wrong

patronizing

with an air of condescension

self-righteous

narrow-mindedly moralistic; having or showing a strong belief that your beliefs, actions, and/or opinions are right or other peoples are wrong.

condescending

possessing a feeling of superiority

didactic

speaker or author attempts to educate or instruct the reader.

erudite

learned, polished, scholarly.

learned

scholarly, erudite

pedantic

dull, unimaginative; old-fashioned, ostentatiously learned

ostentatious

Displaying knowledge or wealth that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy

bombastic

speech or writing meant to sound important or impressive but which is not meaningful or sincere; pompous; pretentious.
--\> falseness/emptiness

pretentious

Having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are
--\> falseness/emptiness

hollow

Meaningless, without significance, empty
--\> falseness/emptiness

burlesque

Involving ludicrous or mocking treatment of a solemn (serious) subject

caustic

intense use of sarcasm; inducing emotional pain/stinging

derisive

ridiculing/mocking often with contempt or disdain

disdainful

feeling/belief that someone is worthless/despicable.

facetious

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant

effusive

expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner

melodramatic

Emotional or dramatic in a way that is very extreme or exaggerated

sanguineous

optimistic, cheerful

romantic (& what is antonym?)

fanciful, impractical, unrealistic; dominated by idealism

antonym: objective

sentimental

weakly emotional, expressive of tender emotions, such as nostalgia, love, pity

objective

An unbiased view; able to leave personal judgments aside

earnest

intense, sincere state of mind

forthright

Directly frank without hesitation (frank \= open, honest, candid)

poignant

1) painfully affecting the feelings; emotionally cutting, piercing, touching; 2) designed to make an impression

vexed

annoyed or worried
(describes person)

oppressive

overwhelming or depressive to the spirit or senses; unreasonably burdensome or severe
(government, situation)

unnerving

causing one to become nervous, afraid, upset, unable to think clearly
(situation)

satiric

Ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach

ribald

offensive in speech or gesture

--language that is accepted as disrespectful by society

audacious

1.) Very confident and daring, perhaps recklessly so; 2.) Original and bold; 3) Contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum

irreverant

having or showing a lack of respect for someone or something that is usually treated with respect; satiric

compassionate

Sympathetic and showing concern for others

benevolent

Suggestive of goodwill, kindness, generosity

austere

Grave, serious, sober (sober \= serious or solemn)

bantering

Playful or witty

callous

Unfeeling, insensitive to the feelings of others

condescending

Possessing a feeling of superiority

cynical

Questioning the basic sincerity and goodness of people

elegiac

Mournful, lamenting, sorrowful

frivolous

Superficial, without serious purpose or value, silly, giddy

haughty

Proud and vain to the point of arrogance

lyrical

Expressing a poet's inner feelings; emotional; song-like

morose

Gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent

obsequious

Polite and obedient in order to gain something

petulant

ill-humored; showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over something trivial

quizzical

Odd, eccentric, comical

sinister

Threatens to be harmful, evil, or just plain trouble; wicked

woeful

Wretched (in quality); unhappy, anguished

bitter

Exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

contemplative

Studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue

detached

aloof and objective

foreboding

With fearful apprehension

funereal

Having the mournful, somber character of a funeral; sepulchral; gloomy

hostile

unfriendly; antagonistic

hyperbolic

With exaggeration, marked in its heavy overstatement

indignant

Marked by anger aroused by injustice

insipid

Not interesting or exciting; dull or boring

insolent

Rude or impolite; showing disregard for people

ironic

Marked by usage of words that mean the opposite of what you really think/feel in order to be funny or deceptive/manipulative

jovial

happy

lamentable

Mournful; marked by regret

lugubrious

Full of sorrow or sadness; sad in an exaggerated or insincere manner

malevolent

Having or showing a desire to harm another; arising from intense and vicious ill will, spite, or hatred; malicious

melancholic

sorrowful

omnimous

Suggestive that bad things will come; foreboding of evil; inauspicious; portentous

ostentatious

Displaying knowledge or wealth that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy

reverant

Treating a subject with honor and respect

remorseful

Regretful; penitent; contrite

sardonic

Scornfully and bitterly sarcastic

satiric

Ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach

taunting

Sarcastically challenging or insulting

wry

Slightly sarcastic in a humorous way; clever with a bit of irony

whimsical

Odd, strange, fantastic; fun

TBT Author

Markus Zusak

TBT Narrator

Death

TBT Narration Type

first person omniscient

Liesel Meminger

The protagonist of the story. Liesel changes from an angry, distrusting character to one who deeply loves her family and friends. By the end of the book she has a strong personal moral code, and is not afraid to endanger herself to enforce it.

Werner Meminger

Liesel's six-year-old brother who dies on a train at the beginning of the book. Liesel is haunted by the memory of Werner and consistently experiences nightmares about his death for a long time, but eventually learns to let go of him.

Rosa Hubermann

Liesel's foster mother. First comes across as cold/mean/impatient. Liesel learns that she is caring and a good person.

Hans Hubermann

Liesel's foster father. First impression: patient and gentle. The first adult to win Liesel's trust. Moralistic and strives to help others.

Hans Hubermann Jr.

Rosa's and Hans's son. Deeply patriotic and unquestioning in his faith in Hitler. His Nazism causes him and Hans to not get along.

Trudy Hubermann

Rosa and Hans's daughter; Not present in the book much, but when she was, she was not trusted with the Hubermann secrets. Not as patriotic as Hans Jr.

Rudy Steiner

Liesel's best friend. In love with Liesel and is always there for her. Loyal and caring. Tries to protect others, even if it means harming himself or being punished. Gets Liesel's book when Viktor tosses it in the river. Helps Tommy Müller during the Hitler Youth Group. Likes soccer and racing, even though the war is going on.

Alex Steiner

Rudy's father. At the beginning of the book, he is a bystander to the Nazis. Takes Rudy's place and is drafted into the army. He ends the story with regret for taking Rudy's place because he survived, and Rudy died from the bombing.

Max Vandenburg

He is Jewish so he must avoid being caught by the Nazis. Comes to the Hubermann's house and asks Hans for help. Starts off as cautious and withdrawn/distant. Rage towards Hitler is revealed as he tries to get stronger, and that motivates him to live. Understands Liesel the most and becomes her close friend.

Isla Hermann

The mayor's wife. She was broken by the death of her son so can barely function as a person at first. She opens up and shows sensitivity/concern once she gets close with Liesel.

Frau Holtzapfel

The Hubermanns' neighbor. She initially comes across as mean and uncharitable, as she has an ongoing feud with Rosa Hubermann and is rude to Liesel, but she turns out to be extremely vulnerable after the death of her son.

Michael Holtzapfel

The Hubermanns' neighbor. She initially comes across as mean and uncharitable, as she has an ongoing feud with Rosa Hubermann and is rude to Liesel, but she turns out to be extremely vulnerable after the death of her son, so he hangs himself.

Robert Holtzapfel

Michael Holtzapfel's brother who dies in Russia.

Frau Diller

Owner of the candy store. One of the most patriotic figures in the book, she is a rule-follower and a mean, ungenerous character. She embodies the Hitler ideal of the "good" German who blindly follows orders.

Tommy Müller

Liesel and Rudy's classmate. Physically weak because of his bad ears, he is often pathetic and pitiable. Rudy helps him during the Hitler Youth Group.

Arthur Berg

The first leader of the apple-stealing gang. Tough but fair, he shares the loot equally with the other kids.

Franz Deutscher

The leader of Rudy's Hitler Youth group. A sadist who represents the Nazi ideal, he takes special pleasure in tormenting and humiliating Rudy.

Viktor Chemmel

The second leader of the apple-stealing gang. Like Franz, he is a sadist who exploits his own power.

Reinhold Zucker

Took the truck seat that Hans was in and then died instead of Hans; minor character. Zucker is young, impetuous, and a bad loser. His temper gets him killed.

Snow

numbing the pain people feel after a death/grief

stealing

balancing/regaining of power

painting

turning hatred into kindness