A Pickpocket's Tale - Vocabulary Enricher - Yoonji

Hello all, I was assigned the role of the 'vocabulary enricher' this time, so here are a group of eight words I (either) did not know previously, or found interesting to share. 

1. Cobbled -Chapter 1,  page 1, paragraph 1 

Definition - Cobbled is the definition of area to be tiled with stones. 

• Cobble - To gather something from usable elements/parts. 

2. Bailiff - Chapter 1, page 1, paragraph 3

Definition - A bailiff is an officer of a sheriff who proceeds to arrest. 

3. Branded - Chapter 1, page 5, paragraph 1 

Definition - Branded is the past use of "brand", which means; 

• Brand - To brand is to identify something with a branding iron. 

4. Breeches - Chapter 1, page 5, paragraph 2 - 

Definition - Breeches has its actual inherent definition, although it seems to be the plural of "breech". However, breeches are short trousers level with the knees. 

5. Mort - Chapter 1, page 6, paragraph 5 - 

Definition - The proper definition of "mort" is a sound from a horn when the game(s) of a hunt is killed, but I later discovered that the definition of "mort" applied to the book means a woman. 

6. Turnkey - Chapter 2, page 8, paragraph 2 - 

Definition - A turnkey is a jailer; one who manages the keys and doors of the jails (basic synonym: jail officer). 

7. Cull - Chapter 2, page 10, paragraph 4 - 

Definition - To cull means is to decrease the number of certain animals by killing. However, I assume the "cull" utilized in the book implies a man, or a person. 

8. Nib - Chapter 2, page 10, paragraph 4 - 

Definition - A nib is used for "a pen's point" in terms of the normal, proper vocabulary most people use, but this book contains a great number of a type of slang called "flash cant" (which is defined in the book that it is slang intentionally developed by pickpockets and such to avoid recognition of language, especially by constables), and I suppose "nib" in the case of the story means (adj.) of the standards of a gentleman; gentleman; of a relatively higher class, about the level to maintain comfortable life. 

A Pickpockets Tale - Summarizer

Gemma Thornley
A Pickpockets Tale
Read until page 86
NEXT ROTATION;
read until page 148
Literary Luminary

Group members;
Sarah
Shelly
Yoonji

During the last rotation, I started reading the novel, A Pickpockets Tale, by Karen Schwabach.  It follows the story of a 10-year-old girl, Miriam Abraham, known as Molly.
Molly grew up in London, living off the streets. Her mother died when she was only a child, and her father was never part of her life. Poor and orphaned, she needed to survive, then taking to pickpocketing. Life of the streets was dangerous, but she had a thief's touch and was never caught by Londons old and decaying police force. This is how she lived most of her childhood,
Then, at the age of 10, she was ratted out. Molly didn't quite know WHO ratted her out. She was put on trial, found guilty of theft, and sentenced to be sent to America, the new country. IT seemed like the most terrible punishment imaginable, as there were always horror stories about America. It was a land full of salvages, monsters without heads, as well as tigers and lions and possibly even dragons. Molly doubted dragons though. It seemed a bit much.
The crossing to America was one of extreme difficulty. She was in the crammed hold of a boat, filled with other convicts, murderers and theives alike. The boat was covered in dead bugs galore, crammed with sweaty people in uncomfortable positions. Once the boat left London, the convicts embarked on a month long jouney, with no concpet of time or any notion of the outside world. The seasons were changing, life was happening, and all they could see was the inside of the boat and the sea. Many were planning their plots of how to return back to England after arriving in America. There were stories of what would happen if you returned to England (all centered around hanging) but it was nothing compared to the terror of arriving in America.
Upon arrival, the convicts were put up for sale as slaves, all for a duration of seven years plus, as their punishment. Hesper (Molly's enemy) and Molly are haggled over, being both young girls, who would seem ideal slaves.
Molly is finally sold to a Jewish family (the Bell family) who were sent to collect her as a fellow Jew. Molly knew she was Jewish, as her mother told her that Jews would keep her safe as a Jew, but Molly never fully comprehended what this meant.
The family takes her home, and tries to force her to have a bath. Molly has never bathed before and believes that the experience will kill her. She runs around, causing complete havoc around the house, much to the hilarity of the young daughter of the family, Rachel. Molly spends her first day in this foreign land terrified of the strange and seemingly dangerous traditions that they are surrounded by. Their mannerisms and language are completely new to her, although these people, the Bell family, claim to originate from England, as did she, they seem entirely different her. The first 24 hours is one filled with utter confusion.

Thanks for reading :)

A Pickpocket's Tale - Summarizer - Yoonji

Prior to the depressing events to follow, Molly Abraham was sentenced to seven years of punishment in America before the judge of London, 1730. She was accused of stealing, for she was a pickpocket, but often friends or just neighboring people could report and turn the other in, presenting a rather sinister world of the cold streets of London for the poor. But, taking her remarks regarding her sail to America into consideration, it is assumed that she is a true inhabitant of London's free streets, rather adapted to her life conditions. She despised the fact that she was to pay seven, actually 11 years of her life in a foreign location, and, according to the stories describing such a place, they tell of a place crawling with monsters called Salvages, predators, etc. However, during the lengthy travel aboard the Good Intention, an elderly woman of 30 and more (well, at that time, given the life conditions of the poor, 40 years was a long time to live) befriended Molly, attempting to guarantee safety, although it seemed that the journey was very exhausting for a frail ten year old. Once the sickening ship was to be exited, she was overcome by surprise when a Jewish man, Mr. Bell, offered to buy her (as a slave). Anyhow, he was of good intention and decided to manage her shelter and 11 years. It is said that he took her in for she was Jewish, a daughter of Israel. It is presumed that she loathed the unfamiliar environment, and it was true. She acted reckless and angry as soon as she was prepared to take a bath, supported by Mrs. Bell and Arabella, another servant. The bath was to be followed by her haste escape, attempting to reason with the boat's captain in order to return to England, but he firmly refused. It was confirmed that she could not return to the streets, but to newly belong in the brick house of the Bells.