Hypertext can be described as an electronic narrative, but this is not to say that it is simply a story on a computer screen. The hypertext medium is not exactly linear as a traditional narrative or short story might be, rather it is a story without a clear ending and a variety of ways to move through the lexia (or text boxes). Although you do not have the same amount of control, in terms of typing commands, as you would with interactive fiction, you still make decisions that alter the path of the hypertext. The word, space, or image on the lexia you choose to click on dictates where you move subsequently. In some cases, depending on the length and intricacy of connections the creator made between certain options to click in each lexia, the story is never the same for any one person and can even be dramatically different every time you start over. Sometimes the text within each lexia changes just as you drag your mouse over each line like in the “stir fry” Blue Hyacinth by Pauline Masurel- see below.
Steve Ersinghaus describes hypertext in his article “Reading Hypertext: Reading Blue Hyacinth” as similar to being in a new city. I very much agree with his analogy because in a new city, just as in a hypertext, we may have never been there before but we are not totally without some background knowledge to help us orient ourselves. We have been to other cities and we know the general layout of them. We already know what bus signs look like and the fact that their are always maps to help us along. This is true in hypertext as well, even if we have never heard of it before, because we are familiar with traditional narratives or short stories. We come to the hypertext as we do to the new city: as an explorer with some life (or literary) experience to draw on, while still being slightly disoriented. This disorientation can even serve to spark intrigue about our surroundings, and further assist in our attentiveness to the detail throughout the story or place. We pay more attention when we are not used to what we see, and especially in hypertext this is important because all of the little links, maps, and keywords are there for a reason.
Of all of the hypertext narratives I have used so far, the most interesting and complex is definitely without a doubt Shelley Jackson’s “Patchwork Girl”. This hypertext is somewhat based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in that Mary Shelley (the character in Shelley Jackson’s hypertext) creates a “monster” out of various dead people’s body parts and brings the monster to life. Shelley’s creation is a quilt of various people, experiences, and thoughts all sewn together to form a new being- Patchwork girl. This hypertext is Mary Shelley (the character in the hypertext) as well as Patchwork Girl’s search for identity and their struggle with the demanding culture around them.
Shelley Jackson alludes to the female dilemma when describing Patchwork Girl’s embarrassment about her size and clumsiness. It is set in old England when women had extremely strict roles and expectations set upon them. They were forced to wear corsets and keep a delicate composure at all times. In the story Mary Shelley is so frustrated with the pressure put on her to fit this mold, and she actually becomes jealous of her creation because of the fact that she is quite the opposite of all the traditionally female characteristics. Patchwork Girl on the other hand absolutely hates her large somewhat androgynous body and unruly limbs. Ironically, it is precisely Patchwork Girl’s inability to fit in with the strict gender roles of the time that set her free from them (or at least in Shelley’s eyes).
With time Patchwork Girl is so distressed by her disjointed self and seeming lack of identity. Even though she and Mary Shelley have a very close bond, Patchwork Girl knows she has to set on a new path. Eventually Patchwork Girl decides that the only way for her to find her own true identity is to move to America. On her journey she meets Chanse, a small kind man who is with her on the boat ride to the U.S., and they become very close. Depending on the choices made by the user in this hypertext, you might find out that Chanse is actually a woman. This is something she reveals to Patchwork Girl after discovering Patchwork Girl naked in her room. In seeing Patchwork Girl’s collection of scars and who she really is, Chanse decides to let her true self be known as well.
One particular theme is emphasized throughout “Patchwork Girl”over and over again. This theme is the idea that our identities are not singular or uniform and it is found throughout the piece, literally and figuratively. What I think Jackson is attempting to illustrate is that our personalities and everything that makes us who we are is not completely our own. We are not original in the sense that we build our identities on influences from other people and experiences. So too does the hypertext build and unfold depending on how we decide to move through the story, and these decisions are based on our previous knowledge gained throughout the story and our lives in general. Patchwork Girl is the essence of the this idea in the most physical way, she is a quilt of people that makes up one girl/ monster- see below. Although she is made up of scraps of others, she is her own person, and most herself at the seams- where all of the disjointed parts come together.
Of all of the hypertext narratives I have used so far, the most interesting and complex is definitely without a doubt Shelley Jackson’s “Patchwork Girl”. This hypertext is somewhat based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in that Mary Shelley (the character in Shelley Jackson’s hypertext) creates a “monster” out of various dead people’s body parts and brings the monster to life. Shelley’s creation is a quilt of various people, experiences, and thoughts all sewn together to form a new being- Patchwork girl. This hypertext is Mary Shelley (the character in the hypertext) as well as Patchwork Girl’s search for identity and their struggle with the demanding culture around them.
Shelley Jackson alludes to the female dilemma when describing Patchwork Girl’s embarrassment about her size and clumsiness. It is set in old England when women had extremely strict roles and expectations set upon them. They were forced to wear corsets and keep a delicate composure at all times. In the story Mary Shelley is so frustrated with the pressure put on her to fit this mold, and she actually becomes jealous of her creation because of the fact that she is quite the opposite of all the traditionally female characteristics. Patchwork Girl on the other hand absolutely hates her large somewhat androgynous body and unruly limbs. Ironically, it is precisely Patchwork Girl’s inability to fit in with the strict gender roles of the time that set her free from them (or at least in Shelley’s eyes).
With time Patchwork Girl is so distressed by her disjointed self and seeming lack of identity. Even though she and Mary Shelley have a very close bond, Patchwork Girl knows she has to set on a new path. Eventually Patchwork Girl decides that the only way for her to find her own true identity is to move to America. On her journey she meets Chanse, a small kind man who is with her on the boat ride to the U.S., and they become very close. Depending on the choices made by the user in this hypertext, you might find out that Chanse is actually a woman. This is something she reveals to Patchwork Girl after discovering Patchwork Girl naked in her room. In seeing Patchwork Girl’s collection of scars and who she really is, Chanse decides to let her true self be known as well.
One particular theme is emphasized throughout “Patchwork Girl”over and over again. This theme is the idea that our identities are not singular or uniform and it is found throughout the piece, literally and figuratively. What I think Jackson is attempting to illustrate is that our personalities and everything that makes us who we are is not completely our own. We are not original in the sense that we build our identities on influences from other people and experiences. So too does the hypertext build and unfold depending on how we decide to move through the story, and these decisions are based on our previous knowledge gained throughout the story and our lives in general. Patchwork Girl is the essence of the this idea in the most physical way, she is a quilt of people that makes up one girl/ monster- see below. Although she is made up of scraps of others, she is her own person, and most herself at the seams- where all of the disjointed parts come together.
This concept of people as a collection of influences or parts is apparent in the construction of the actual hypertext. When first opening Patchwork Girl we are presented with a map of the different possible lexia and how they are connected. We can chose to read her story, see where her different parts came from in the graveyard, or visit is a quilt containing different ideas that brought about Patchwork Girl’s existence- see below.
As you move along, in your own fashion, you learn more and more about Patchwork Girl and how she came to be. Although I’m sure we can all “get away from ourselves” every once in a while, this starts to happen to Patchwork Girl in a very literal way. Eventually Patchwork Girl’s limbs begin to rebel and she has to spend most of her nights taping them back in place. In my personal opinion this symbolizes the struggle of every person as they get older. Everyone is in search of themselves, piecing themselves together, only to split at the seams later on.
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