The beauty of the world wide web has allowed literature to become more universal and accessible. How, might you ask? Readers across the globe are able to access a piece of literary text within seconds of typing in a web link. Readers can also share, comment, or ‘like’ a post within a fraction of a second. This is where the aspect of accessibility comes in; nowadays technology is so swift and handy that most of us have a smart phone or device with us almost anywhere we go. As a result, with the combination of mobile data or WiFi access, individuals can freely read these texts anytime, anywhere. While it is more difficult to share a story with others via storytelling, the www allows readers to share it instantaneously with others no matter how close or far individuals may be. Hence, the universality factor of the www. As we have learned from the 1:2 lesson written by Professor Paterson, there is a distinction between a reader and listener in the world of storytelling. However, digital literature gives readers the opportunity to interpret, analyze, and respond to a text moments after reading it. Furthermore, readers can even remake the story to their liking, so it would be a modern way of storytelling if you will. I want to build on a phrase from lesson 1:2, “digital literature is textual and aural and visual”. The impact of digital literature is that it offers a story to readers in the form of text, but it also presents to readers an image, which is delightful because readers now have something to visualize instead of only reading about. In addition to images, video clips can be also added to websites, so that readers can simultaneously hear sound with pictures in motion. For example, let us imagine the topic of totem poles. I can include a webpage about totem poles that includes text and an image. But the beauty of digital literature is that I can include a video clip so viewers can further educate themselves on totem poles by visualizing and listening to the clip. By including video clips, viewers are turned into listeners, which is a different form of storytelling because the reader and literature are no longer present. As a result, digital literature compels the modern individual to interpret literature in a variety of ways including analyzing, replying, sharing, and remaking a piece of text that is accessible to the world. Social media tools give readers fluidity to carry on multiple tasks such as the ones mentioned above, rather than exclusively reading and interpreting literature by paper.
(Warning: following paragraph contains excessive hyperlinks, click at your own risk.) Hypertext on the other hand, adds a continuum of knowledge for readers. For example, readers can learn more about totem poles only if they are interested enough to click the link. Once readers have clicked the link however, they become more aware of the topic, and may also feel closer to the author who posted the article. There is a sense of intimacy in clicking a hyperlink because the reader is opening themselves up to more knowledge about a specific topic. For example, Professor Paterson’s story about intersections included a purple umbrella. The significance of this purple umbrella would never acknowledged if Professor Paterson hadn’t hyperlinked a side story of the umbrella in detail. Thus, the hyperlink creates a sense of intimacy and closeness between the reader and author because the reader is now more knowledgable about the importance of the umbrella. Hypertext also jumps from web page to web page, which leads to more outlets and information rather than reading a book that results in one ending no matter how many times you read it. I have included multiple gifs here to exemplify the use of hyperlinks, but also for the sake of using gifs, and comedic effects (is it working?). All in all, hyperlinks are a fun way to present an opportunity to readers to find out more about a specific topic which can ultimately alter/affect the way readers interpret/analyze specific literature online.
Works Cited:
“Totem Pole.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. <http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/totem-pole/>.
🙂 this is just to let you know I have read your blog and enjoyed it very much – I will leave the development of a dialogue up to your fellow students. Thank you Fiona.
Hey Fiona! I liked your mention of Hyperlinks encompassing many forms of different media, giving it a multi-media, multi-sensory experience, extremely different from simply reading a physical book. Sitting down to consume literature will probably never be the same experience twice. This naturally leads to questions about how stories and literature will be produced in the future. I wonder what English literature will look like in the future. I’ve already been seeing graphic novels used in classes, and our very own ENGL 470A itself is quite an elaborate digital environment.
Thanks for the post! I look forward to reading more.
Hi Fiona, nice comments, and some excellent hyperlinking!
Based on some of your comments on how technology is opening up digital literature I have a question or two! Hyperlinks provide us with more clear details (as we may or may not pursue them) and as you pointed out with the umbrella, can add greater appreciation for the piece. However, they can also interrupt or disrupt a text – I often find myself link-storming 5 or even 10 websites away from the original piece I was reading as I attempt to clarify concepts. Perhaps that is a personal failing.
In any case, I was hoping you would comment on whether or not you think anything is lost with the advent of digital media (in literature and in storytelling).
I personally feel that hyperlinking *can* improve communication and concepts, but does take away from some of the elgance of prose.
I also feel as though digital communication in blogs & vlogs with additional auditory and visual content can help tell a story, it still is no replacement for face to face communication, storytelling, and discussion. I think one of the things we lose here online is the direct unfiltered and unedited response we get in person. This comment for instance, is much longer and more clearly edited than what I may have told you in person.
In any case, thanks for the informative post!