Samson’s Comments (group member since Sep 06, 2012)

Samson’s comments from the ELEVEN READER'S CLUB group.

"Time: My greatest friend - my ferocious enemy"

alleviated - relieve; lessen
animosity - extreme dislike; hatred
festooned - decorate

Personification - R has a complex inner life
Simile - ... but she noticed that his face was suffused, as it had been so often in life, with an angelic smile

The ending of the book was quite obvious although it does not elaborate enough on his true passion to art. His tale about the 2 most beautiful thing in his life that died away was heartbreaking to hear. His mother that had finally contacted him wanted to see her son one last time before she departs to the afterlife. His home owner's daughter that he would always visit with a smile on his face who unfortunately died during her afternoon nap also known as crib death. To this day, he loved and lost. This is the day where Étienne Morneau embarks his affection to art and ditch his old job. This book was very inspiring, reminding me that tragic may happen, but the best way to feel better is to look forward.

"I had no idea what I hoped to accomplish. I did, however, much to my amazement, begin a series of drawings."

terse - brief, short
vulgar - rude, offensive
trifling - insignificant, worthless

Personification - M can be thought of as a V with supporting legs
Imagery - Although I could see steely grey eyes, a hawk-like nose and a thin mouth, she seemed a kind person

The novel continues on with Étienne and his travels in China. After completing his assignment he embarks his way back home to Canada where he can see dear old, Madame Beaulieu and says his goodbyes to his closest friend and translator, Chang. Surprisingly, he received a letter. But it was no ordinary letter. It was the letter sent by his mother. Shocked and agitated. Étienne does not know how to confront his feelings. Whether to be mad or relieved. He then showed it to Madame Beaulieu who began to cry and suggest to him to forgive her and tried to convince him to meet her. Now, it is up to Étienne to decide if he want to meet the woman that created him or not.

"K is very much a lone wolf in the alphabet world. To be honest, it is an outcast because its functionality, especially at the beginning of words, has been unceremoniously stolen by C. Nevertheless, K has reaped some glory because designers often fall in love with its lower diagonal and embellish it with considerable flourish. Even the lowly of this world can always find a measure of recompense."

Amorous - loving, affectionate
Progeny - offspring
Embellish - make beautiful, decorate

Simile - I had been complacent about his future, like some wanton lover dallying with a casual pickup
Personification - J gets its revenge because its upward hook allows it a bit of a swagger, a boastful edge to its personality.

The novel continues with Étienne at his average job at the bank. But with a surprising twist, he was offered a simple assignment in the country of China. He was afraid of his constant fear in making friends and working with his co-workers and leaving his personal environment. But, he decided to go venture on this assignment and discovered the magnificent artwork that famous people had drawn. As well, make a new friend, Chang along the way.

"With D you know exactly where you stand. Its character is stolid. Its central long line is definite, establishing its place near the beginning of the alphabet. From that central line it reaches out with one long curved line to the curved space that completes it with the hint of a flourish. The straight and the not-so-straight conjoined. There is humility to a D: it knows it needs a curve to complete itself."

Virtuous - innocent
Sanguine - happy; optimistic
Ungulate - hoofed animal

hyperbole- ... the total annihilation of light
Allegory - In Ontario, he was seen as the embodiment of what it is to be a "frog"

The book continues on to be as interesting as I expected and many new characters were introduced in the novel. Furthermore, I learn more about Étienne, who not only suffers a disorder from OCD, but is also a "Schizoid", a person who avoid the company of others. In my opinion, I have a feeling that Étienne is doubting himself because he is the obstacle that stops him from making friends. If he is able to pass himself then he would have no problem at all. The book is beginning to attract more of my attention. I hope to discover more about the fictional character, Étienne.

"A. Two converging lines firmly joined by a third. A nice solid beginning. A handsome yet unprepossessing shape. Ornate but subdued."

Ornate - fancily decorated
Divulge - confess
Pilgrimage - long journey

Imagery - Her light brown hair was fashionably curled, her eyes looked to be sparkling blue, her nose was a most elegant button, and her lips pale and thin.
Metaphor - ...to explore the lost language of childhood.

This book is quite appealing. It's format in using words to symbolize the character's life. Étienne is an exceptional protagonist. His abilities to manipulate words and transform them into the object it represents caught me off guard, as well as the voice that whispers him the pronunciation of that word. To be able to adapt to that at a young age is astounding.I am interested in reading more about Étienne lifestyle in his fictional biography.

The book I chose was "Étienne's Alphabet" a novel by James King. I had chosen this specific book because the title of the book was the first thing that caught my attention which matches the criteria of my likings. I can already assume by the title that it was about a man by the name, Étienne, but what really caught my eye was the word, alphabet. In my childhood, when I first learned the alphabets, I thought of it as a useful method to inquire placing letters together to form new words. Also, the picture on the front cover of the book displays a caucasian man in suit and wearing a bowler hat. Immediately, I suspected that the man with his back in front of me was, Étienne. I then noticed the background in front of him, a street theme and letter case all across the book. I was certain that the street theme was his past home before and the letter case that is written across would explain the word, alphabet. Next, I read the synopsis and found out that the book is a biography about the young man, Étienne. Reading the synopsis was boring at first, but I realized that this was no ordinary person. The book threw unexpected surprises and twists that keep the suspense in the book. How I do want to know more about this, Étienne character after reading a simple synopsis. Ultimately, these are some reasons why I chose the novel, Étienne's Alphabet.