Lipograms

Writing itself often poses several constraints to the author. Whether it be subject matter, allotted time, or the permitted length, a writer always has to work with a certain number of roadblocks. Writers who take on the lipogrammatic format, however, willing take on an additional constraint. Constricting yourself from using one of the most commonly used letters in the English language or in Georges Perec’s case the most common letter, ‘e’, would assumedly prove to be just as difficult as it seems. The first question I asked when I was introduced to the lipogram is “Why”? Why would someone bother further constrict their writing, making it even harder for the audience to decipher? Other than boasting rights or just the challenge, is there any further meaning in pursuing this literary format? In A Void, the story seems to allude to the literary format, as friends are in search of their friend with the last name “Vowl”. The title alone implies that something is missing. With “e” being a crucial letter to the English language, the story also seems to imply that this missing friend is very important to his companions.