Paper Things: Chapters 1–13

by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Eleven-year-old Arianna Hazard tries to focus on getting into a gifted middle school while her nineteen-year-old brother Gage struggles to provide a home for them in Port City.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–13, Chapters 14–26, Chapters 27–43
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. mishmash
    a random assortment of things
    I didn’t know if he was mad that Janna was bragging on me, that she had called me her daughter, or that she was pretending that nothing was wrong (probably all three), but my feelings were too much of a mishmash to give him the conspiratorial smile he was expecting.
  2. conspiratorial
    relating to or characteristic of a secret plot or agreement
    I didn’t know if he was mad that Janna was bragging on me, that she had called me her daughter, or that she was pretending that nothing was wrong (probably all three), but my feelings were too much of a mishmash to give him the conspiratorial smile he was expecting.
  3. subtle
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    Daniel, a kid in my gifted class, gives my chair a subtle kick.
    I turn back to Mr. O., who, despite the interruption, has kept his eyes glued on me.
    “Sorry, Mr. O’Neil,” I say.
  4. vigorously
    in an energetic manner
    The principal leaves, and Mr. O. continues.
    “It seems to me, Arianna, that you don’t have much room for fooling around.”
    I nod vigorously.
    It’s true; my social studies grade is the pits.
  5. bibliography
    a list of writings with time and place of publication
    I did lousy on both quizzes, and I haven’t been able to finish the outline of my biography (along with a bibliography) on a famous nineteenth-century American.
  6. recital
    performance of music or dance especially by soloists
    Sasha is waiting for me on the corner of Walnut and Washington, still wearing her patrol leader vest over her red puffy coat. Today, her so-blond-it’s-nearly-white hair is pulled back in a bun, like she has a ballet recital or something.
  7. grimy
    thickly covered with ingrained dirt
    As we climb the grimy stairs, I can smell natural gas from someone’s stove and burnt cheese.
  8. abolitionist
    a reformer who favors putting an end to slavery
    “You could choose any famous American and you chose Alcott?”
    “She wasn’t just an author, you know,” I say. “She was an abolitionist and fought for women’s rights.”
  9. wheedle
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    I ignore Linnie and continue to wheedle Sasha. “Please,” I repeat. “It’s my only option.”
  10. peruse
    examine or consider with attention and in detail
    “You know,” she says, coming over and shutting the laptop, “I wasn’t born yesterday. A blank desktop tells me that a student has been perusing the Internet, that she’s been doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing.”
  11. activism
    a policy of action to achieve a political or social goal
    Mr. O. looks down at my outline and to my amazement nods in approval. “Looks like an interesting paper, Arianna, especially this section on activism. Do you think I might see an introduction soon?”
  12. prominent
    having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
    I recall the word cloud we made in computer lab. What were some of the most prominent words? Togetherness and help and support. I decide that I’d also add kindness.
  13. lurch
    move abruptly
    She pauses. “Or we could stay at Janna’s.”
    My stomach lurches. “I thought you didn’t like it at Janna’s that much,” I say, hoping this sounds like the logical reason for not inviting her over for months.
  14. resentful
    full of or marked by indignant ill will
    Even though I know that Sasha is a little bit resentful about having to ask her mother if I can stay over again, all I can think of at this moment is that extra twin bed in her room, with the puffy comforter and clean, crisp sheets.
  15. invariably
    without change, in every case
    “Well, when I’m older, I’m only going to do the stuff I want to do,” Gage would invariably counter.
  16. rummage
    search haphazardly
    He rummages through the folder, and I’m afraid he’s going to ask me about each item and every person in it. I yank the folder out of his hands and place it at the bottom of the pile of books.
  17. discreet
    not easily noticeable
    “Are you still working at Head Start?” Sasha’s mom—who I call Marianna—asks me.
    I nod, my mouth too full of kiffle for me to speak. Flaky crumbs float down to the diamond-patterned tablecloth below. I brush them away as discreetly as possible.
  18. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
    I take a sip of my water and try to appear nonchalant. “I think I might have misplaced my application, but I’d rather not tell Janna if I don’t have to. Do you know how I can get a new one?”
  19. adamant
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
    Mama always said that the happiest times in her life were at Carter—except for having us, of course. And once it became a school for the gifted, she was even more adamant that I attend.
  20. sappy
    very sentimental or emotional
    I unfold a letter, climb onto the spare twin bed, and read it aloud in my sappiest, lovey-dovey-est voice:
    Dearest Decimal,
    For too long, ma cherie, my heart’s been shattered to pieces.
  21. compatibility
    capability of existing in harmonious combination
    Sasha just squints her eyes at me, so I go on reading.
    You and I have a complex relationship, but let me start with our most basic compatibility. We both express ourselves easily within a system of ten.
  22. divine
    of such excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
    A decimal fraction has a denominator (bottom number) that is 10, 100, 1000 (in other words, a power to 10). So if you want to waltz as 0.4 (four-tenths), I will glide as 4/10. And if you rock as 0.372, I will roll as 372/1000. What could be more divine?
  23. foreshadowing
    the act of providing vague advance indications
    My Language Arts teacher would call this day “foreshadowing,” I think—foreshadowing spring. Too bad I don’t get extra credit for knowing that.
  24. trove
    a valuable collection or treasure found hidden
    When we get to the playground near Briggs’s, I ask Gage if I can stay awhile. The place can be a treasure trove of dropped coins from adults chasing their kids on the old jungle gym or the rickety teeter-totter.
  25. rickety
    inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
    When we get to the playground near Briggs’s, I ask Gage if I can stay awhile. The place can be a treasure trove of dropped coins from adults chasing their kids on the old jungle gym or the rickety teeter-totter.
  26. ricochet
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    Just then something whizzes by us and ricochets off the side of the building, nearly hitting Amelia in the head. It’s a chunk of brick—a big chunk.
  27. sublet
    lease a rented property to or from another renter
    “Actually,” says Janna, “I’m surprised you were able to afford something in this building...in the West End. You must have been squirreling away money your entire senior year.”
    “We’re subletting,” says Gage quickly.
  28. hardship
    something difficult to endure
    But I like to think that even these people, whose hardships seem to come all at once, might get to experience the same number of joys in their lives as everyone else (and sometimes those feelings of joy pop up smack in the middle of hardship).
  29. despair
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    In the midst of my despair, another depressing thought hits me: April second. That would have made yesterday April Fools’ Day. I feel the long tug of missing.
  30. ponder
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Missing the days when I didn’t have to wonder where my next meal was coming from or where I was going to sleep each night or if Girl Scouts was no longer something I could put on my Carter application.
    That’s what I’m pondering when Linnie says, “GT prowl. Watch out!”
  31. aspiration
    a cherished desire
    Lately it’s been even worse because I’ve fallen into the category of “underachieving gifted child.” Now I feel like she has her eyes on me all the time. “What are your aspirations?” Linnie says, imitating Mademoiselle.
  32. solitude
    the state or situation of being alone
    I can imagine her stretching out on the couch with one of her cats—I’ve counted three so far—the blanket covering her legs. But maybe she’d prefer the solitude of the easy chair, since she doesn’t even seem to want to be near Perry right now.
  33. cupola
    a roof or part of a roof in the form of a dome
    I’m on the landing, about to head back downstairs, when Kristen comes up the stairs. “Do you want to sleep in the cupola?” she asks.
  34. willful
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
    I also learn that Louisa liked to keep lists. She wrote one about the bad habits she wanted to give up: “idleness, willfulness, impudence, pride, and love of cats.”
  35. impudence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
    I also learn that Louisa liked to keep lists. She wrote one about the bad habits she wanted to give up: “idleness, willfulness, impudence, pride, and love of cats.”
Created on Fri Nov 11 20:22:21 EST 2022 (updated Tue Aug 01 13:46:23 EDT 2023)

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