Hypertext Fiction (pt. 2)

 

    I chose to explore Entre Ville by J.R. Carpenter with a more in-depth perspective because I was drawn to the characteristics of the work - I liked how this piece told the story of a place, and less the story of a person or idea, which have been the focus of some other hypertext works we have looked at in this class. 

    Carpenter based the piece on her town, Mile End, which is a neighborhood in Montreal. She says she spent years learning the "vocabulary" of Mile End - learning less the languages spoken by locals and more the physicality of Mile End itself (the shapes of the alleyways, the balconies, the graffiti, the clothes hung out to dry, etc) - which is evident based on the sheer detail and poetic themes of Entre Ville. 

    When you first open Entre Ville, you are met with a crude sketch of an apartment complex and random things that pay homage to Mile End (like a dog, or the number four). Clicking through, you find videos of Mile End and Carpenter's poetry, which allow you to learn more intimately about the neighborhood. My favorite lines are: "In an intimacy / born of proximity / the old Greek lady and I / go about our business." I feel it keenly highlights the relationship between people and the places they live, and how close-knit neighborhoods, like Mile End, can feel rich, textured, and poetic when you allow yourself to look for it.

    I thought this piece was a great example of hypertext because it was easily consumable and there was an identifiable theme. (Also, it was easy to navigate back to the home page!) I liked how the work allowed the audience to explore the town in any order as if they, too, were learning the vocabulary of Mile End for the first time. 

    In this essay for MIT, Carpenter describes how Entre Ville works better in the format of hypertext than print, and it reminded me of "A Cyborg Manifesto". In her essay, Haraway argues that we have experienced a technological revolution, and so the definition of things like "man" and "machine" are blurred. I feel that electronic literature is a prime example of these blurring boundaries - hypertext, for example, combines the technology of the web with the creativity and storytelling of poetry and literature. However, I like how authors like Carpenter defend these "blurring boundaries" and argue that it has made their work better for it, as it proves that cultural and technological changes can be positive.  

Anyways here's a cat: