frame story

a narrative structure containing or connecting a series of otherwise unrelated tales

The novella, Ethan Frome, is an example of a frame story.

taciturnity

habitual silence, or reserve in speaking

Ethan Frome is forced to practice taciturnity because his wife never lets him squeeze in a word.

sardonic

scornfully or cynically mocking

Zenobia used a sardonic tone when she scolded Ethan.

reticent

inclined to keep one’s thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself

Ethan Frome was reticent when it came to sharing his past.

melancholy

sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom

The cold of winter cast a spell of melancholy over the landscape.

querulous

given to complaining; peevish

Zenobia Frome was querulous about her health.

tenuous

long and thin; slender; having little substance; flimsy

The dental floss was tenuous and oftentimes broke.

declivity

A downward slope, as of a hill

The mountain’s declivity was treacherous

impudent

characterized by offensive boldness; insolent or impertinent

In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl was sometimes impudent when talking to her mother, Hester.

poignancy

profoundly moving; piercing; incisive

The narrator told Ethan’s story with great poignancy.

oblique

having a slanting direction; devious, misleading, or dishonest

Zeena was often oblique in her marriage to Ethan.

obscurity

absence of light; darkness; the condition of being unknown

The people of Starkfield lived in obscurity.

irresolute

unsure of how to act or proceed; indecisive

Ethan was irresolute in his decision making, so his wife told him what to do.

rapture

the state of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstasy

When Ethan falls in love with Mattie, he feels a sense of rapture.

tremulous

marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking; timid or fearful

Ethan was tremulous when he talked to Mattie.

obstinate

stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; difficult to manage or control

Zeena could be obstinate when she wanted to get her way.

sedentary

requiring much sitting; accustomed to sitting or to taking little exercise

A sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous to your health.

volubility

marked by a ready flow of speech; fluent

The high school student demonstrated volubility in Spanish.

languid

lacking energy or vitality; weak; showing little or no spirit or animation

Zeena was languid after her doctor said she was in bad health.

eloquence

persuasive, powerful speech

Eloquence was a characteristic of Abraham Lincoln’s speech.

insatiable

Impossible to satiate or satisfy

The couch potato had an insatiable appetite for potato chips.

indolent

Disinclined to exert oneself; habitually lazy

The indolent student would never do homework.

spectral

ghostly

The crooked trees cast a spectral shadow on the wall outside.