CONCLUSIONS
As the phonemes phall...
Ella Minnow Pea is a study in synthetic language, or language which makes extensive use of polymorphemic words. The residents of Nollop are forced to experimentally build phoneme upon phoneme, and morpheme upon morpheme, as letters fall from their monument. In doing so, they mimic the systematic formation of words that actual languages display as they evolve. The journey goes first in an advanced direction as these lexophiles stretch their vocabulary to the outskirts of sophisticated obscurity. However, as more letters fall, they are forced to regress – first by dropping proper inflection and syntax, as a non-native speaker might speak, and then by sounding out words phonetically the way a child might spell. At the climax of the novel, the characters are reduced to the broken and barely-intelligible utterances of the insane.
This journey mirrors the novel’s underlying message about the power of language. Nollop begins as a community bound together by a common love and reverence for words. But as their words are taken away, their sense of community breaks down. Neighbor turns on neighbor. Decorum is lost. The social fabric unravels. As Tom observes, without words we “seem to exist only elementally” (Dunn, 2001, p. 151).
Language is one of the fundamental foundations of civilization. After all, writing is the beginning of human history. When alphabetical letters are banned, so are all of the books which contain them. The history and memory of a culture is erased. Government and laws depend upon language. Without words, Nollop’s Council is eventually unable to govern. All devolves into chaos. Even personal history depends upon language. Without words, the characters are unable to recount their most cherished childhood memories. Storytelling dies. Memory dies.
Also importantly, when “Q” goes, questioning goes. The residents fear what they will do without questioning – without critical thought. Gwenette frets, “Today we queried, questioned, and inquired. Promise me that come tomorrow, we will not stop asking why” (Dunn, 2001, p. 34). Without the ability to question, the people lose their power. This is where Dunn draws an important connection between the restriction of language and totalitarianism.
In the end, it is written history that ends up saving the town in the form of a note to Ella from her dad. She saves the old letters because she is determined to hold on to her history and memories. It is this respect for history and treasuring of written words which ends up saving everyone. As the novel’s epigraph states: “In the beginning was the Word.”
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Tip for Readers
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For readers who find the text challenging, a study of the novel’s vocabulary is a good place to start. Make a list of all the words which you do not recognize or understand. Then sort: which words are actual English words, which words come from other languages, and which words are made up. From there, break the words down to examine their etymological roots and meanings. Overcoming the intimidating and fantastical use of language in this novel is the key to unlocking its depth and fun.
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Resources for Teachers
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Ella Minnow Pea is most appropriate for high school students, but it could be used effectively in middle school and college-level instruction as well. It can be incorporated into a wide range of English instruction and humanities curricula. Its exploration of language construction and extensive use of vocabulary can be used to teach intermediate-to-advanced English learners and well as native English speakers. Its themes are rich territory for literature studies, as well as studies of politics, religion, sociology, philosophy, and writing.
For an extensive list of reading questions and discussion prompts, this Teacher's Guide is an excellent resource.
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