“THE FINISH OF PATSY BARNES”

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Vocabulary Review

Assiduously Eminent Retribution Specious Guile Alerative unobtrusively

Vocabulary Incorrigible Compulsory Sonorous Meager Obdurate Diplomatic Inordinately derision

Incorrigible

The incorrigible student never stops talking.

IncorrigibleAdj.Incapable of being reformed

CompulsoryAt school it is compulsory that we wear the

right uniform.

Compulsory

Adj. Enforced by law

sonorous

The sonorous note of bullfrogs is heard a mile off in the river, the loudest sound this evening.

sonorous Adj. Having a powerful, impressive sound

meager The meager supply of food would not last

through the winter storm.

meager

Adj. Lacking in some way

obdurate The obdurate youngster refused to eat

the peas.

obdurate Adj. Stubbornly persistent

inordinately What are the possible causes of

inordinately cold hands and feet?

inordinately

Adv. Extremely

derision

You could hear the derision in his voice when he told her to take a hike.

derision N. Ridicule or scorn

Paul DunbarJune 27, 1872– February 9, 1906

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Born in Dayton, Ohio Parents escaped from slavery in

Kentucky Wrote first poem at age 6 First published work was in a newspaper

put out by Wilber & Orville Wright He became well known as the "elevator

boy poet"

“The Finish of Patsy Barnes”Discussion Questions What kind of relationship does Patsy have

with his mother? What does Patsy’s reaction to his father’s

death tell us about his character? What is your opinion of the City Doctor?

How does Patsy react to the doctor? What is the significance of the horse’s

name? Is the climax of the story believable? Why or

why not?

“Patsy was _________.” “Even into the confines of Little Africa had

penetrated the truant office and the terrible penalty of _______ education law.”

“He learned strange things about horses, and fine, _______ oaths that sounded eerie on his young lips…”

“Then, when he learned that he must leave his old friends, the horses and their masters, who he had known, he wept. The comparatively _______ appointments of the Fiar-grounds at Dalesford proved a poor compensation for all these.”

Vocabulary/Story review Incorrigible compulsory sonorous

meager obdurate diplomatic inordinately derision