Wednesday, March 12, 2008

My exploration in finding Narrative

I had a rough time reading the sample chapter from Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature--because it wasnt Ergodic. The text was to small there werent any links--understandably since it was written in 1997--and hypertext writing was at the beginning of its evolution, but Ergodic it wasnt, and that is what I expect when I read online.
When I read online I want to take on an active role as a reader, I want to be a user who constructs the reading. All this text required me to do is scroll down and strain my eyes. Give me the book! I expect this in a book, but to promote great ideas in the hypertext world give readers what they expect! But, I must give credit where credit is due: Aarseth bridges the divide between paper texts and electronic texts, and examines literary theories of narrative to discover the implications of applying these theories in the hypertext realm for which they were not intended. Can computer games be great literature I think so--and so does Aarseth--well we are on the same path!

What is Narrative? Well, a Poynteronline discussion offers a great roundtable on defining narrative.
Simply put narrative is telling a story, but in my opinion the audience has to be considered for the medium you use to tell your story, and as the storyteller give your audience what they expect from that medium.

Mark Kramer Founding Director, Nieman Program on Narrative Journalism puts the rules of a narrative quite simply: "At a minimum, narrative denotes writing with (A) set scenes, (B) characters, (C) action that unfolds over time, (D) the interpretable voice of a teller — a narrator with a somewhat discernable personality — and (E) some sense of relationship to the reader, viewer or listener, which, all arrayed, (F) lead the audience toward a point, realization or destination."

Well, Twelve Blue gives me the narrative I expect as an online reader and so does Breakdown Happens Reading Joyce's "Twelve Blue" I am a user in control of where I go; I am clicking away on a path to discover the narrative; I am constructing what I read--and seemingly almost by accident I stay there longer for I am eagerly involved. I get angry at times while reading Twelve Blue: I get to an ending where I am not satisfied with the outcome, I try to start over and end up in a different story rather than one I expected, or a link takes me to a picture rather than a plot. But, overall I am getting what I expect from an online narrative, and Im satisfied with the experience. I'd love to replicate the format of Twelve Bluewith non-fiction and avoid big fluffy words--I'd love just to edit right out of Twelve Blue!

1 Comments:

At March 16, 2008 at 8:30 AM , Blogger Dean Taciuch said...

The Poynter Online discussion is great! Thanks for linking to that.

As for the definition you quote, it's fine, but how does Twelve Blue meet points D (voice of a teller) and F (destination)?

 

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