I need help this week in the vocabulary department. I’m not saying that the great Chris Cleave incorrectly used a word, but I don’t understand how he used it. See what you think.
In Cleave’s novel, Little Bee, everything spins around an unusual meeting on an African beach between two young African girls, an armed guard, a British couple on holiday, and a band of hired killers. Doesn’t sound good, does it?
Here’s the piece I’m struggling with, told by Sarah, a British woman and one of the primary narrators of the novel. She is describing her very dangerous confrontation with a man holding a machete:
I cringed away from the man, from the way he looked at me- now patiently, as if encouraging a slow learner; now furiously; now with a pregnant, vespertine calm.
At this point, what do you think “vespertine” means? Guess, if you must.
Here is the info from Webster’s:
vespertine \’ves-pər-tīn\ adj, from the Latin vesperinus, from vesper, meaning evening; of, relating to, or occurring in the evening; (biology) feeding, flying, or blossoming in the evening
Perhaps I’m confused by the adjective “pregnant” next to vespertine. Here, I think pregnant means “meaningful, momentous.” Sarah suspects something is about to happen; she’s reading the man’s eyes very closely. But how does that jive with “vespertine”?
Does anyone out there have some ideas?
I escaped out into the garden near sunset to capture the vespertine blooms of the evening primrose with my camera.
All I can think is that maybe it’s alluding to the fact that he is growing more calm (i.e. – pregnant and the part where vespertine refers to blossoming), but he’s growing calm in a dark and foreboding way (hence the blossoming at night). It’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s all I’ve got!
I can buy that – thank you.
I’m going with Emily’s answer. Like she said, it’s a stretch but it makes the most sense. I guess? 😉
(I loved Little Bee)
Ahh — I’m not Catholic and always wondered what “vespers” were! And vespertine – what a fun word!
Glad you learned something new today Susan!
Good question about the use of vespertine in that sentence! I find that it doesn’t make any sense to throw in a reference to the time of day next in that sentence, especially as it’s referring to the wrong time of day! I almost wonder if he’s using the biology set of definitions, as in “feeding in the evening.” As in, I’m getting ready to feed on you in this pregnant moment of calm…predatory. Although that’s a stretch, and it’s still not evening! Truly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense why he used that particular word, but at least I’ve learned a new word, thanks to you and Chris Cleave!
Thanks Muddy- glad to know I’m not the only one confused! Happy to share!