Vocabulary – Erskine Caldwell
Desperation Noun a condition of being without hope
Seared Verb Burn or scorch a mark
Grinding Adjective oppressive and relentless
Poverty Noun the state of not having enough money to take
care of basic needs such as food, clothing, and
housing
Plight Noun a difficult or dangerous situation, especially a sad
or desperate predicament
Controversial Adjective Causing argument; provoking strong
disagreement or disapproval, e.g. in public debate
Bleak Adjective Discouraging, without hope or expectation of
success or improvement
Unromanticized Adjective Not glamorous, based in reality
Indictment Noun a statement or indication that something is wrong
or somebody is to blame
Stark Adjective forbidding in its bareness and lack of any
ornament, relieving feature, or pleasant prospect
Gentility Noun Refinement, courteous and well-mannered
behavior, especially when it suggests an upper-
class background
Perpetuating Verb to make something continue, usually for a very
long time
Stereotypes Noun an oversimplified standardized image of a person
or group
