Exercises in Style

Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau proposes the use many different methods or styles, ninety-nine to be exact, to explain the same event. Queneau focuses on the use of how a language sounds as opposed to how a language is read; furthermore, the different styles convey dialects of all sorts from noble to informal, accusatory to explanatory, etc. Additionally, even translated from French to English, Exercises in Style pushes the limits of language and creates new possibilities for expression.

I particularly enjoyed "Double Entry" on page 21 because of the detail and description of the entry. I also found great interest in "Metaphorically" due the production great imagery as well as emotion, especially through the final line, "In a bleak, urban desert, I saw it again that self-same day, drinking the cup of humiliation offered by a lowly button."Additionally, I found "Apheresis" on page 78 interesting. Although the words are incomplete with missing letters, due to reading several entries about the same event prior to this one, I was able to complete the words while reading them and still understand the story.