Ella Minnow Pea

Synopsis

On the island of Nollop, just off the coast of South Carolina, Ella Minnow Pea lives with her parents among the other Nollopians. Nollop is, of course, named after the “most honored and revered” Nevin Nollop, the author of the sacred pangram sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” which uses all the letters of the alphabet with the least amount of space. For such immortal genius, the island was named after him and a statue was erected in the center of the capital, Nollopton, with that fateful sentence inscribed beneath it in accordance with the laws and dictates of the High Island Council.

Besides having no notable technology (telephones are completely banned so the Nollopians must communicate through letters) and never leaving the island nor having outsiders visit, Ella lives a fairly normal life with her contented parents and simple lifestyle … until the letter Z falls from Nevin Nollop’s commemorative statue. The High Council calls an emergency meeting, and after much debate, they decide that this must be a message from the revered Nollop from beyond the grave, informing the people that the letter Z can no longer be used.

Even this might not have been so bad except for the drastic consequences of using the banned letter: first offenders receive public reprimand; second offenders must choose between lashes or the headstock; and third offenders face exile or death. And, of course, all books containing the letter Z must be banned. Yet when more letters begin to fall and neighbor turns viciously against neighbor, reporting one another, Ella suddenly finds herself in a fight for the freedom to speak before all of the letters fall from the fated statue…

Analysis

Without a doubt or hesitation, Ella Minnow Pea certainly earns points for creativity. Dunn masterfully surrounds us in a world built solely through the correspondence of characters. Not only does he write an entire story purely through letters, he also miraculously excludes those letters that fall from the book even as they fall from Nollop’s statue. The very idea of Nollop Island is extremely unique and memorable.

When it comes to the wholesomeness of the tome, I found Ella Minnow Pea satisfactory. There are lashings, of course, and quite a number of people die tragically. As the book is written in letters, there are no descriptive occurrences, and when characters die, the point‑of‑view characters simply relay the information in a sympathetic and formal letter. Additionally, a number of family members — spouses most notably — abandon one another as the pressure of the High Council’s edicts overwhelms them. However, the sad occurrences of betrayal and abandonment between neighbors and family members are Dunn’s way of highlighting the evil of the High Council and offering an honest evaluation of the inherited sin of selfish human beings. He promotes the happy marriage of the Minnow Pea parents and the strong bond between faithful neighbors, encouraging a wholesome outlook on relationships.

It perhaps goes without saying that the language of Ella Minnow Pea is positively phenomenal. Dunn has the most remarkable vocabulary and uses more linguistic tricks and tactics than any author I have yet read (except perhaps Shakespeare). I was positively swimming in a wonder of words! And, of course, any author who can gradually and consistently exclude letters of the alphabet but still effectively tell a stunning tale deserves a hearty round of applause. As for depth and development, the characters are beautifully written and feel strikingly real. I almost feel as if I were eavesdropping on historical events. There is a notable urgency pressing in on the reader throughout the story even though there is no timer or countdown. You nervously wait for the next letter to fall from the statue and, with it, the hope that the common people of Nollop will succeed in convincing the High Island Council that every letter is essential.

Finally, the significance of the story is what I am still meditating on. It is clearly a remarkable contribution to literature. From a purely entertaining stance, it succeeds and satisfies word lovers beyond a doubt. From an analytic viewpoint, I can see how Dunn has a number of themes coursing throughout the tale, from the importance of healthy family life to freedom of speech. He appears to be using something as simple as alphabetical letters to comment on totalitarianism. The heart of his deeper meaning is still elusive to me, and I will continue my internal debate for some time.

Overall, although I am still thinking over some aspects of the story, I am awestruck and thoroughly pleased with this marvelous piece of word‑loving literature!

Rating

I heartily award Ella Minnow Pea four bookwyrm bingos!