Vocab Flashcards
(30 cards)
What were the Jim Crow laws?
The Jim Crow laws were a collection of state and local laws that legalized racial segregation.
How long did the Jim Crow laws exist?
The Jim Crow laws existed for about 100 years, from the post-Civil War era until 1968.
What was the purpose of the Jim Crow laws?
They were meant to marginalize African Americans by denying them the right to vote, hold jobs, get an education, or other opportunities.
What were the consequences for those who defied Jim Crow laws?
Those who attempted to defy Jim Crow laws often faced arrest, fines, jail sentences, violence, and death.
What was the state of racism in America during the 1930s?
Racism was rampant, and there were not yet laws ruling against racial discrimination.
Define isolation.
The process or fact of isolating or being isolated.
Define loneliness.
Sadness because one has no friends or company.
Define racism.
Racism is the belief that people of some races are inferior to others, and the behavior which is the result of this belief.
Define segregation.
The action or state of setting someone or something apart from others.
Define nomadic.
A person who moves from one place to another in order to find work or better living conditions.
Define cyclical.
Occurring in cycles; recurrent.
Define hierarchy.
A system in which members of an organization or society are ranked according to relative status or authority.
Define marginalization.
To marginalize a group of people means to make them feel isolated and unimportant.
What is the American Dream?
The ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
What was the Great Depression?
A long and severe recession in an economy or market.
What is the Dust Bowl?
An area of land where vegetation has been lost and soil reduced to dust and eroded, especially because of drought or unsuitable farming practices.
What is symbolism?
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
What is a semantic field?
A set of words grouped by meaning referring to a specific subject.
What is a protagonist?
The main character in a literary work.
Example of isolation in literature.
Curley’s wife felt a sense of isolation as her husband did not like her talking to others.
Example of loneliness in literature.
Curley’s wife feels a sense of loneliness as she is not allowed to have friends and has no female company on the ranch.
Example of racism in literature.
Crooks was subjected to racism. He believed that people didn’t listen to him as he was ‘just a nigger talkin.’
Example of segregation in literature.
Crooks feels separated from the other workers. ‘I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.’
Example of nomadic lifestyle in literature.
George and Lennie are nomadic workers. They move from place to place to find work.
