Writhe

writhe







Y

[rahyth]



D



–verb (used without object) 

1. to twist the body about, or 

squirm, 

as in pain, violent effort, etc.  



2. to shrink mentally, as in acute discomfort.  



–verb (used with object) 

3. to twist or bend out of shape or position; distort; contort. 

4. to twist (oneself, the body, etc.) about, as in pain.  



–noun 

5. a writhing movement; a twisting of the body, as in pain.  



—Synonyms 

1. thresh (打穀), flail (連枷), contort, wriggle. (勉強掙扎出來)

cf. thrash flail





　

This last aspect — the rape’s awakening of Maya’s consciousness as a woman of color — 



elevates "Descent" beyond case study and 

into 

the realm of [bomb]-throwing polemic. 



Maya’s personality is transformed during visits to a dance club, where she falls for a macho African-American D.J. named Adrian (the musician turned actor Marcus Patrick, who has a bit of 



Burt Lancaster’s looming physicality), 



experiments with drugs and tries to reclaim the sexual confidence that Jared stole. (The latter is suggested rather than shown, in a strobe-lit (閃光燈) dance floor 



montage of Maya writhing [with] several partners.)





wry wiry 

ripple

a ripple of [laughter].  



convulsion 

contortion of the body, uncontrollable 

When I found Jean, she was having an attack, and [convulsing] on the floor.

cf. shudder

convolution 

coiled, twisted ridge on brain surface

a [convoluted] argument

Convulsion



blithe

Tony

mirth 

(spontaneous laughter)

[uncontrolled] outbursts of mirth.

glee 

(gesture, malicious rejoicing over mishaps to others) 

glee over the [failure] of a rival. 

hilarity

(noisy, boisterous mirth, exceeding the limits of reason or propriety)

hilarity aroused by [practical jokes].

merriment

(good nature, rather than the artificial funmaking that causes hilarity)

The house resounded with [music] and [sounds] of merriment. 

(atmosphere, festivities, individuals)

jollity

(convivial, a more hearty merriment, less boisterous hilarity)

The [holiday] was a time of jollity. 

joviality

(a more mellow merriment)

the joviality of [warm]-hearted friends.