I found Scott Rettberg’s Chapter 3 of Electronic Literature, “Hypertext Fiction”, to be a very fundamental chapter to understanding Digital Literature. It explains the relationship between the author and the reader to be something deeper than what I originally thought. He defines hypertext as an array of “interconnected documents”-aka lexias. Readers can navigate using hyperlinks, this was a concept foreshadowed by Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Garden of Forking Paths”. Software like “Storyspace” in the 90’s allowed authors to create complex works like “Afternoon” by Micheal Joyce and Shelley Jackson’s “Patchwork Girl”, and interpretation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”.      

     Rettberg claims that the power of hypertext is in its capability to mirror the nature of human consciousness, which operates through memory and connection rather than a straight line. This medium/connection allows the reader to be very creative, as the meaning of the story is co-created through the sequence of choices the reader makes. Overall, Rettberg illustrates that hypertext is not only a technical format for the "H" in HTTPS, but a tool that allows for a more creative, and scattered  representation of the human experience.

     Furthermore, this digital format can be found in classic literature pieces like “The Garden of Forking Paths”. This piece serves as a philosophical blueprint for hypertext fiction. It features a “book-labrinth” where any possible outcomes occur all together at the same time. The author, Borges, explores time not as something linear, but as a series of paths that interlink and overlap. I chose to bring in Shelley Jackson's “Patchwork Girl” (1995) from the chapter as my “bring it in”. I feel that this piece is a good example of how the form of hypertext can match well with the theme of a story. It is a postmodern piece that reimagines Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but instead of the character Victor building a monster, the story follows the creation of a female character. This is important for Rettberg to highlight in the chapter because it emphasizes the fact that hypertext isn’t just something unserious, in proves that digital literature can handle the complex themes and convey ideas just as meaningful as classic literature pieces.