(pg. 89)
I chose the word...Vindicated.
"So when she got to be thirty and was still single, we were not pleased exactly, but vindicated; even with insanity in the family she wouldn't have turned down all of her chances if they had really materialized." (pg. 91)–verb (used with object), -cat·ed, -cat·ing. (www.dictionary.com)
1.
2. to afford justification for; justify: Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
3. to get revenge for; to avenge.
Now that i have a better understanding of what this word means, I can explain it much better! This word is perfect for this situation. It shows the exact feelings that need to be shown. When I read the word vindicated or vindicate, my mind automatically thinks of getting back at someone or maybe gloating in someone else's misfortune. In this story, when this word is used I believe that it is used in that exact way. In the sentence, the author is discussing how Emily is thirty years old and not married. The way I interpreted it, Emily was a beautiful lady who had everything, yet no man was good enough for her. I see it as she held herself at a higher standing than most people. In simple terms, she thought she was "the stuff". Many young girls were probably jealous of Emily, and the fact that she probably turned down men over and over made them angry. Just like the sentence says...they felt vindicated (or happy to watch her suffer) that she was single at thirty! Many women want to marry very young and the thought of being single at such an "old" age is horrible. Knowing the technical definition of this word helps me to see the word in a whole new way. It shows the exact emotion that the writer was trying to express! I strive not to feel this way to much, but sometimes I fail and enjoy watching people I don't much like get what they deserve. That, however, is work in progress. We should try not to rejoice when they fall...instead we should work to lift them up, even when we don't want to!
:)lgj
:)lgj
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