Invisible Son: Chapters 1–5

by Kim Johnson
After serving two months in a youth correctional facility for a robbery he didn't commit, high school senior Andre Jackson returns to his Portland, Oregon neighborhood to find that his freedom is further restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–13, Chapters 14–23, Chapters 24–36, Chapter 37–Epilogue
40 words 72 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. idle
    run disconnected
    But now, well, now I don’t mind if I stay hidden. Especially since MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility is in my literal rearview. But the longer we idle in Portland traffic, the more reality sinks in that that’s not how any of this works.
  2. torrential
    relating to or resulting from the action of a downpour
    But it will be as hard to shake the strike against me as it is for the windshield wipers to win their battle against this torrential downpour.
  3. scour
    examine minutely
    And I don’t mean my boy Boogie, who knows I’m more likely to be up late reading Octavia Butler or scouring through my collection of Black Panther comics than be hanging out.
  4. deadpan
    speak in a deliberately impassive or serious manner
    “I need details if this is gonna work, son. Think of me like family. You can even call me Uncle Marcus. Some kids I work with do.”
    “I’ll stick with Marcus,” I deadpan, all business between us.
  5. insinuation
    an indirect (and usually malicious) implication
    He’s saying this because I treat him like the probation officer he is, and he’s offended at any insinuation of law enforcement.
  6. detention
    a state of being confined (usually for a short time)
    “The judge approved community service for his detention with a required electronic monitor. He has to charge it every day for two hours.”
  7. restitution
    a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
    “He can work, or is it only free labor at the pool house?” Grandpa doesn’t break eye contact with Marcus after practically calling my service requirement slavery.
    “Five hours a week is the agreement, plus restitution.”
  8. liberal
    showing or characterized by broad-mindedness
    And even if he does let me, there’s a little part of me that fears the pool would empty at the sight of me doing laps with an ankle monitor. Liberal whites’ façade be damned.
  9. facade
    a showy misrepresentation to conceal something unpleasant
    And even if he does let me, there’s a little part of me that fears the pool would empty at the sight of me doing laps with an ankle monitor. Liberal whites’ façade be damned.
  10. defer
    yield to another's wish or opinion
    The bass in Grandpa’s voice picks up, claiming Alpha. I’m his son as far as he’s concerned. And he doesn’t like anybody monitoring me but him. Even my dad defers to Grandpa.
  11. faze
    disturb the composure of
    Marcus nods before going over more rules. I pretend I’m not fazed.
  12. blowout
    a joyful festivity
    When Mr. Whitaker’s adopted daughter, Sierra, begged me to go with her and her biological brother, Eric, it was because she didn’t trust he would keep out of trouble at Paul Chase’s New Year’s blowout.
  13. accomplice
    a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan
    Even if I ratted on Eric and Gavin, I was still going down as an accomplice.
  14. ebb
    fall away or decline
    “It ebbs and flows. You know how he is, getting lost in work.”
  15. relentless
    not willing or able to stop or yield
    She’s direct and always on the lookout. You can’t get anything past her. She’s relentless at getting her way.
  16. contend
    come to terms with
    Now, I’ll have to contend with reality.
  17. platform
    a document stating the principles of a political party
    After Mr. Whitaker got involved with my case, it inspired him to run for a city commissioner seat. His platform pushes for changes in the justice system.
  18. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    “I’ll leave one for you if you want.” He tentatively touches the sign.
  19. striking
    having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
    From afar there’s nothing that distinguishes one photo from the next, but if you know their personalities, it’s striking.
  20. banter
    light teasing repartee
    I take in all their sibling banter as they float around the spacious kitchen.
  21. gorge
    overeat or eat immodestly
    Food has been so constant today, I have to force myself not to gorge, remembering I won’t be rationed and on a clock anymore.
  22. sheer
    complete and without restriction
    I resist from sheer will and sit back to watch.
  23. mediator
    a negotiator who acts as a link between parties
    Brian always chooses Kate. Eric always chooses Sierra. And Luis is in the middle of them all, so he flops between the two sets of siblings. The mediator.
  24. beeline
    the most direct route
    I wave my hand up giving deuces, then pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my head and make a beeline for the door, but not before hearing Sierra say, “Not funny. You didn’t have to rub it in.”
  25. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    I keep expecting Bobby to be at my left, with his mouth drooling and funk wafting my way.
  26. falter
    be or become weak, unsteady, or uncertain
    “I had a bad dream is all.” This is the first time I’ve let myself falter in front of her. During detention visits I didn’t want to add to the worry already laced in her eyes.
  27. convulse
    shake uncontrollably
    As soon as Mom wraps her arms around me, a heavy sob erupts. My chest convulses, heaving in and out between bursts of saying how I’m happy to see her.
  28. haphazardly
    in a random manner
    I keep my eyes down, haphazardly moving my eggs around with my fork as I wait for his answer.
  29. affiliation
    a social or business relationship
    “You changed your affiliation so you could vote for him in the primaries,” Grandma J says.
  30. assess
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
    I wave at her sarcastically, then assess the damage.
  31. explicitly
    in a clearly expressed manner
    Until I explicitly ask, beg, or plead, he’ll keep all the juicy details to himself.
  32. distinguishable
    capable of being perceived as different or distinct
    “I mean, Paul ‘No Personality’ Chase?” Paul is vanilla plain. There’s not one distinguishable thing about him or his whole crew, including his sidekick Gavin.
  33. humble
    marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
    I’m sure she’ll recognize your humble ways as charming when you start pining after her again.
  34. pine
    have a desire for something or someone who is not present
    “Pine? Who’s pining?” If I hadn’t been arrested, we’d be together by now.
  35. dispensary
    clinic where medicine and medical supplies are distributed
    I’m King of Distractions, so I switch up our conversation by pointing out the organic dog food store sandwiched between two different vegan-related shops.
    “Don’t forget these popping up everywhere.” Boogie points to a dispensary.
  36. naive
    marked by or showing unaffected simplicity
    Eric just went along with everything he did because he’s naive.
  37. encroach
    advance beyond the usual limit
    These were made of wooden blocks and fiberboard walls that were protected from flooding by dikes—until they weren’t. The mural documents the history. Water rising, encroaching on homes and washing them all away.
  38. redline
    discriminate in housing certain people in certain areas
    In real life, refuge was found in the redlined Albina district in Northeast Portland, but for the mural’s sake, it’s the entrance to Malcolm’s Bookshop.
  39. aesthetic
    a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful
    I finally take a deep breath, ready to be greeted by hand-carved African wooden doors with the engraved word Karibuni. A yellow flyer taped to the door mars the aesthetics.
  40. appeal
    be attractive to
    “The visuals of Portland flooding Black residents don’t appeal to white liberal guilt buying property in Northeast?”
Created on Sat Jan 27 10:27:12 EST 2024 (updated Sun Jan 28 15:17:41 EST 2024)

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