2. Chapter 1 Allusions and Idioms Bluntly stolen from Mr. Thom

3. Allusions An allusion is a brief reference to something in the past or something that currently exists. Allusions can be made to literature, art, popular culture, religion etc. In Harry Potter, Rowling makes an allusion to the Phoenix from Greek Mythology

4. Chapter One Allusions Galiban Mountains: a small mountain range situated in central California.

5. Chapter One Allusions Howard street: There is a Howard Street in San Francisco, a city in Northern California

6. Chapter One Allusions Sacramento: The capital of California, Sacramento is located about eighty miles northeast of San Francisco.

7. Chapter One Allusions Salinas River: a river that flows north through Soledad and empties into the Pacific Ocean.

8. Chapter One Allusions Soledad: a city in near the coast of California, approximately 130 miles south of San Francisco.

9. Chapter One Allusions “watchin' that blackboard”: During the depression, employment agencies would post available jobs on a blackboard in front of their offices. Prospective employees would wait in front of the offices, watching the blackboard for any new jobs.

10. Chapter One Allusions Weed: A mining town in Northern California, near Mt. Shasta.

11. Chapter One Allusions work cards: A job assignment from an employment agency would be written on a work card to be presented by the worker to the employer.

12. Idioms Idiom: an expression, word or phrase that is characteristic of an individual, a time period or region

13. Not to be confused with Idiots...

14. Chapter One Idioms “blow their stake” or “blowin' in our jack”: Lose and/or spend all their money

15. Chapter One Idioms “bustin' a gut”: To bust a gut is to engage in very hard physical labor -- so hard that you ache all over -- even in your gut.

16. Chapter One Idioms “in hot water”: to be in hot water is to be in trouble.

17. Chapter One Idioms “jungle-up”: During the Great Depression, many wanderers (hoboes and tramps) would settle for the night in groups. These areas would be known as hobo jungles. To jungle-up is to camp out for the evening in the company of other like companions of the road.

18. Chapter One Idioms live off the fatta the lan': The fat of the land is an expression that refers surviving and prospering by simply relying on what one can grow and raise -- that the land is so "fat" one will need nothing else to be happy.

19. Things that make you go hmmmm Canned: Fired Jailbait: Got the eye Tart Sore as hell Clear out

20. bindle (n.): a small bundle of items rolled up inside a blanket and carried over the shoulder or on the back; a bedroll.