adolescence
the period during which a person develops, through puberty, into an adult
clique
a small group of people who share common characteristics or interests
eccentricities
unconventional or strange tendencies or characteristics
embellish
make a story more interesting by adding or exaggerating details
inadequacy
the state of not being good enough or lacking something
malleability
capability of something to be easily transformed or influenced
mitigate
to make the effects of something less severe
nostalgia
a longing for or attraction to the past
reconcile
to settle differences between people and restore friendliness
sly
cunning and deceitful
Albert Camus
Nobel Prize-winning Algerian-born French philosopher and novelist associated with absurdism
meritocratic
relating to the belief that power should be distributed according to individual worthiness
anarchistic
relating to a belief in the abolition of hierarchies in society in favor of voluntary cooperation
Weltanschauung
German term for a particular view of life, literally meaning "world perception"
Sturm und Drang
German term for turbulent emotion, literally meaning "storm and stress"
noxious
harmful or very unpleasant
integer
a whole number; a thing complete in itself
estuary
the mouth of a large river where a stream meets the tide
libertine
a person who lacks moral principles, particularly in regards to sex
absurdism
the belief that existence is meaningless and chaotic, and that philosophically interesting conflict arises when the human desire for meaning meets the world's purposelessness
