While I grew up reading choose your own adventure books, I had no idea there was a name for the online version. It's called hypertext and that's all that chapter three discusses. From the early hypertext theorists to the point of it all, I learned a lot about the origin and concept of allowing readers to be in control of texts. Also known as a "fiction of possibilities" modern hypertexts move towards collage and remix work. I liked how hypertexts were not described as a "kind of writing" but more so a "text technology." Hypertext has inspired all sorts of researchers in a number of fields with its system of writing including flexibility, navigation and associating documents. There was a lot in this chapter that interested me in that I knew the general idea of hypertext but no other knowledge despite the fact I enjoyed these sorts of interactive books.
A point of reference that I looked up more information on was a person named Michael Joyce who published the first hypertext on the Storyspace platform. "Afternoon, a story" is a complicated hypertext with random links, unmarked weblinks and leads readers on a journey attempting to mirror that. of the main characters. I liked how this particular piece of work was made not just to incorporate the readers but let the readers have a conscious feel and really immerse themselves in the theme of h\the writing, mimicking the character in the novel.
Kendall Arkay
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YAY!
HAPPY GRADUATION to the VERY first class of TBD majors!!! (I wish we could celebrate in person!)
I also thought that the use of the term "text technology" was interesting. I agree that I had a concept of what hypertext was but I had never realized the endless research and navigation it could be used for. I tried looking at "Afternoon, a story" but wasn't able to find it. However it was described as one of the first significant fiction stories. As I'm reading the description it allows the reader to follow a journey but also leaves the ending open. While this seems good 1. I'd want to know the ending, but I guess it's good to determine ones own destiny 2. critics did say in this weeks chapter that this was one of hypertexts downfalls. Some believe hypertext causes confusion, but to me I think it's best to just go with the flow. Not everything, espically in English writing has a correct answer!
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed "Choose Your Own Adventure Books" growing up and it's funny how you can really enjoy something without even knowing what it truly is. I found it interesting that the thinking behind hypertext has been around far longer than computers, and I like your comment that hypertext isn't a "kind of writing" but instead a "text technology." It's more of a catalyst for users to explore the web which, like a "Choose Your Own Adventure Book," is unique to each user and highly immersive. I like how you comment that the readers of "Afternoon, a story" have a "conscious feel" throughout and mimic the charater in the novel. While most literature allows readers to aspire to be like certain characters, you point out that hypertext allows readers to actually be the characters, which, to me, is a really extraordinary concept.
ReplyDeleteI found your opinion of "Afternoon, A Story" very similar to my opinion of "Loss of Grasp", which is a piece set up the same way as "Afternoon, A Story". I found it very confusing at first but it was still interesting and fun to read. I have noticed that a general theme in hypertext fiction is that it is far more immersive than other works of digital literature, which you noted as well.
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