analepsis and catachresis

pg. 127

"The notes where what she had, and all she would have, and whatever reconstitution she could manage -- was this analepsis? Was it catachresis? From some mist of memory emerged Greek words of a literary theory course at Brown and she wondered whether they pertained to this crisis -- would have to do." ... "Analepsis, catachresis, no: the word she was after was 'floundering.'"

the character is working on a book that has made no progress in years. she is looking back at her notes and trying to make sense of them.

analepsis is the recovery of strength after sickness; it can also refer to a species of epileptic attack originating from gastric disorder. definitions could not be found in the supposed literary sense of the word

catachresis is the misuse or strained use of words. use of the wrong word for the context; use of a forced and especially paradoxical figure of speech, like blind mouths (MW)

anyway, there is too much verbiage between the two hyphens in the first sentence for the reader's brain to accommodate in buffer space;

also, the two words are more 'called upon'/mentioned rather than actually functionally used in the sentence. this reflects poorly on the writer as an attempt to throw some words around?

disingenuous

pg. 123-124

disingenuous -- lacking in frankness, not straightforward or candid, insincere. Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated.

"Perhaps if the thought of his life then, of his sister's life now, still had the power to tighten his throat and sour the air (another cigarette lit might clear it), then was it [sic.] disingenuous not to say so?"

the character is wondering whether he should mention his escape from a small town in his memoirs;

Works Cited

THE E'S CHILLUN = The Emperor's Children, by Claire Messud; Alfred K. Knopf, First Edition, Hardcover

MW = Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, principal copyright 2003

the ironed lace antimacassar on the chintz armchair

pg. 123

an antimacassar is a covering for use on chairs to prevent oily heads from doing soak damage... like the cloth that hangs on the seats of airplane seats. macassar was a hair oil that came from the port city of Makassar in Indonesia...used on the heads of men of Victorian (1837 - 1901) and Edwardian (1901 - 1910) times

chintz is a cloth made out of calico with flowery designs...perhaps like a doily...

the phrase is used in remembrance of a character's mother