“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.

Incorrigible Adj. Incapable of being reformed

Compulsory At 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 Dunbar June 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?

Vocabulary/Story review Incorrigible compulsory sonorous meager obdurate diplomatic inordinately derision “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.”