Ch. 3 Hypertext Fiction

In the chapter about hypertext fiction, it is explored how the genre emerged in literary, historical and technological content. This chapter reminded me greatly on what we focused on during the first weeks writing of electronic literature and how sources can allow for a reader to connect and follow through prior knowledge. Hypertext allows for an expansion of knowledge or to further a story which gives an interesting twice on fictional and nonfictional writing.

Hypertext fundamentally is a text technology that can organize, structure and share information. Around the 1990's when hypertext was introduced concepts were formed in contemporary literacy and semiological theory (55). Contemporary literacy allows for easy access to information in a variety of sources. Semilogical theory is an account for significance, representation and reference within a meaning. While these hypertexts are meant to be useful it was found that critics have said hypertexts can decenter the reader's experience. This is also because of authorial power. Authorial power is when the author and reader start being in a reconfiguration. It's claimed these reconfigurations of hypertexts aren't actually furthering a reader but actually constraining them. This constraint meant that research was not being done as freely as possible and not being able to visit finer points may allow for an exploration into new topics and losing focus. Now, it seems that modern influencers believe that computational poetry and narrative generators that use avant-grade hypertext fiction in experimental writing are more optimistic to hypertext. Modernism calls for not just practices by modernist but what is produced in technique.

To me, I understand how hypertexts could be a restraint but most times I believe they are an option. It is helpful and rather convenient to know something is there if I need it. The idea of modernism in hypertext also I think can be a way to involve new techniques in technology but also allow for history to be revisited. It is interesting to understand how these topics have developed.

Cassie Haskell