Ella Minnow Pea

Georgeanne writes to Mittie. She apologizes for her family turning Mittie in after her first offence in front of their son. She explains both her son and husband left the island, and she is lonely because no one is left on the street. Finally, she asks Mittie to write to her, to keep her company. However, Mittie goes to town to see Tassie. The guards will not let her into the prison. Nate writes to Mittie, letting her know he stowed away on a ship and made it to the island.

Ella’s mother is banished; Ella now feels alone because her parents have left the island. Tassie writes to her and Mittie to tell them to stop trying to see her. The letter “V” falls off. 

A sentry writes to Ella. He tells her not to come to the prison any longer because Tassie escaped with “Ameri-man” and her mother. Tassie writes to Ella as well, saying, “Now rests almost solely upon you Enterprise 32. You will triumph, we are sure” (148). Alone, Ella writes to one of the few people in town—a female neighbor.

The woman, Tanya, invites Ella to her home for supper. There she meets Tom, one of the few administrators left on the island. Together, they reach 43 letters. Ella hugs Tom—a new, budding relationship. With fewer letters left to use, sentences become more creative: “Perhaps we may sup together tomorrow night at the unilearnity” (154). The letter “U” is the first vowel to be eliminated.

Ella writes to another neighbor: “Wanting to say something, with anxiety stilling erstwhile galloping yammers. It is important that we say something to one another—any little thing. We are not low-tier animals. We are higher entities, am I right? Say something. A greeting. Anything” (157). Georgeanne writes again to Mittie because she moved into town in search of Mittie. She leaves the letter at Ella’s house. Ella responds, explaining Mittie and Tassie are gone. She suggests they meet and become allies.

Tom reports on the sentence’s progress: 37 letters. The Council issues a letter saying people may use proxy letters in writing, but not in speech. Letters become even more interesting. Tanya relays to Ella that “X” has fallen. A man was hit by the falling letter, but ignored by priests: “It hit him right on his het. The priests are there pronto pronto to get the tile. They see my sister’s man lying there, eyes not open. They gather the tile peeses. They stroll away, not ephen looging at him. Totally ignoring ingert man” (166).