beyond'binaries'con-nuity'and'change'in'literary'experimenta-on'in'

response'to'print'and'digital'technologies''

'Johannah'Rodgers,'Ph.D.'

English'Department'

New'York'City'College'of'Technology'

The'City'University'of'New'York'

jrodgers@citytech.cuny.edu'

“The'emerging'new'media'technologies'are'not'important'

in'themselves,'nor'as'alterna-ves'to'older'media,'but'

should'be'studied'for'what'they'can'tell'us'about'the'

principles'and'evolu-on'of'human'communica-on.”'(Espen'

Aarseth,'Cybertext:'Perspec-ves'on'Ergodic'Literature,'

1997)'

''

“…[L]iterature'not'only'records'and'comments'on'the'

ruptures'of'social'and'cultural'and—last'but'not'at'all'least

—medial'condi-ons.''It'also'par-cipates'construc-vely'in'

their'modeling….”'(Peter'Gendolla'and'Jorgen'Schafer,'

“Playing'With'Signs:'Towards'an'Aesthe-c'Theory'of'Net'

Literature,”'2007)'

'

beyond'binaries'

introduc-on'

'

Proposing'a'rhetorical'analysis'of'literature’s'role'socially,'

culturally,'and'medially'in'the'evolu-on'of'human'

communica-on,'this'project'seeks'to'explore'ways'in'which'

electronic'literature'and'print'literature'can'be'placed'in'

dialogue.'

''

'

beyond'binaries'

overview'

'

Assistant'Professor'in'Rhetoric'and'Wri-ng'at'The'City'

University'of'New'York'

'

Fic-on'writer'interested'in'constraint'based'and'genera-ve'

approaches'to'narra-ve'

'

Visual'ar-st'interested'in'constraint'based'and'text_based'

images'

'

Author'of'DNA,'a'network'fic-on'project'

Who'I'Am'/Where'I'Am'

Coming'From'

'

DNA' is' an'Web_based' fic-on' project' set' in' the'

year' 2075,' in' a' future'where' gene-c' clones' are'

commonplace' and' the' unique' iden-ty' of' any'

individual' is' protected' only' by' tacit' consent.''

Taking'the'concept'of' iden-ty'thed'to' its' logical'

conclusion,' DNA' describes' through' various'

textual'ar-facts'a'year'in'the'life'of'a'clone'who'

begins'ploeng'to' take'on'the' iden-ty'of'one'of'

his' "code' partners,"' and' includes' a' series' of'

hyperlinks'to'real'and'fic-onal'Wikipedia'entries'

that' provide' a' peek' into' the' dystopic' future' of'

economic,' agricultural,' cultural,' social,' and'

poli-cal'systems.'''

DNA'

www.dnanovel.com'

'

5

Having'been'interested'in'the'use'of'formal'and'

linguis-c'constraints'in'my'wrihen'work'for'some'

-me,'I'have'con-nued'this'inves-ga-on'of'issues'

related'to'originality,'replica-on,'inten-onality,'

and'crad'in'a'digital'age'by'crea-ng'images'using'

a'very'common'sodware'program,'Microsod'

Excel.'''

'

While'ini-ally'interested'in'using'Excel'as'a'

drawing'tool'because'it'is'almost'exclusively'

associated'with'business'and'commercial'

func-ons,'my'con-nued'interest'in'its'use'is'

derived'from'both'prac-cal'and'conceptual'

issues.''

Image'Factory'Project'

'

image'factory'2''

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

embroidery'

9

Ongoing'nego-a-on'in'cri-cal'and'popular'discourse'

regarding'rela-onships'between'age'of'print'and'digital'age'

'

I'am'interested'in'the'dynamism'and'tensions'involved'in'

the'shaping'of'interpre-ve'narra-ves'explaining'this'

rela-onship/non_rela-onship'and'the'place'and'func-on'of'

electronic'literature'in'those'narra-ves'

'

How'might'these'narra-ves'be'affected/inflected'by'

pueng'electronic'literature'and'print'literature'produced'

in'England'between'1700'and'1750'into'dialogue?'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

project'background'

'

What'if'there'are'some'shared'concerns'connec-ng'literary'

experiments'that'occurred'in'response'to'print'technology'

and'those'that'are'taking'place'in'response'to'digital'

technologies?'''

'

How'might'understanding'and'naming'these'shared'

concerns'expand'or'inflect'the'ways'in'which'literary'cri-cs'

describe,'cri-que,'and'contextualize'electronic'literature?'''

'

Might'such'connec-ons'emphasize'the'importance'of'

studying'contemporary'and'historical'works'of'print'and'

electronic'literature'as'socio_cultural'ar-facts'that'are'

responding'to'and'shaping'new'literacy'prac-ces?''

'

'

beyond'binaries'

ques-ons'

'

1700_1750'

•  Period'of'great'change'in'literacy'prac-ces:''“Europe'

changing'from'an'oral_scribal'to'a'print'

society”'(Kernan)'

•  “Emergence”'of'novel'as'genre:'“There'is'a'striking'

difference'between'the'Bri-sh'debate'about'novels'

before'1750'and'that'ader.”'(Warner)'''

•  Author_Producers:''Authors'were'ac-vely'involved'in'

the'design'and'produc-on'or'in'overseeing'the'design'

and'produc-on'of'their'printed'books'

•  Typographic'Experimenta-on/Textual'Technologies:''

Explora-on'of'rela-onships'between'text’s'physical'and'

signifying'proper-es'(Media'Specific'Analysis:'Hayles,'

Hunter,'McGann,'et'al.) '

'

'

beyond'binaries'

project'background'

'

While'Sterne’s'typographic'and'literary'experiments'in'

Tristram'Shandy'are'well'known,'Sterne'is'not'ini-a-ng,'but'

rather're_working'and'“diges-ng”'some'of'the'most'

innova-ve'features'of'a'range'of'literary'works'published'

between,'roughly,'1700'and'1755,'which'combine'a'literary'

and'stylis-c'self_consciousness'with'a'“more'directly'

prac-cal'self_consciousness'about'the'mechanisms'and'

ins-tu-ons'of'print'culture.”'(Keymer)''

'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

towards'a'media'specific'

analysis'of'print'literature'

14

Tristram Shandy’s Black Page

How'are'print'and'electronic'texts'created'by'author_

producers'in'periods'of'changing'literacy'prac-ces'

func-oning'rhetorically'in'rela-on'to'readers'and'in'

response'to'technology’s'impact'on'literacy'prac-ces?''

Mul$modal:'Employ'semio-c'systems'other'than'wrihen'

language''

Interac$ve:'Invite'and/or'require'reader'par-cipa-on''

Self2Referen$al:''Characterized'by'literary'and'material'

self_referen-ality,'these'works'are'implicitly'and'explicitly'

about'reading,'and'wri-ng'prac-ces''

Didac$c:'Content,'form,'and'material'proper-es'are'

involved'with'teaching'people'how'to'read'and'interpret'

texts'in'given'media''

Employ'Remedia$on:'Address,'integrate,'and'respond'to'earlier'media'

'

beyond'binaries'

possible'approaches'

'

Some'Historical'and'Contemporary'Textual'Ar-facts'That'Use'

Communica-ons'Technologies'to'Respond'to'and'Shape'Changing'Literacy'

Prac-ces''

' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ''

' ' ' 'Mul-modal'''Interac-ve''Self_Referen-al'''Didac-c'''Remedia-on'

Dunciad'Variorum' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ' '''''+'

Sea'and'Spar'Between'' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ' '''''+'

'

Clarissa'' ' ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ''''''''''''''+'

Under'Language'' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+'''''''''''''''''+'

'

+=yes'

_=no'

'

'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

textual'ar-facts'

'

“Pope’s'fullest'account'of'what'wri-ng'was'about'in'his'-me,'The'Dunciad'(1728),'begins'(in'the'very'first'line)'with'a'frontal'ahack'on'printers,'booksellers,'and'other'commodifiers'of'verbal'art,'and'throughout'the'poem'argues'that'contemporary'deteriora-on'of'taste'and'debasement'of'values'derive'explicitly'from'the'prolifera-on'of'print.”''(Hunter'57)'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

Dunciad'Variorum'

Pope’s'Dunciad'Variorum'(1729)'an'annotated'version'of'

his'1728'Dunciad,'“define[s]'the'enemy'[print'culture]”'

however'does'so'through'a'complex'print'machinery'that'

becomes'a'part'of'the'poem’s'sa-rical'fabric'while'at'the'

same'-me'instruc-ng'readers'and'thus'widening'his'

audience'to'include'those'“new'readers'from'the'

developing'classes'whose'reading'experiences'were'narrow'

or'slight.”'(Hunter)'

'

beyond'binaries'

Dunciad'Variorum'

19

Pope’s Dunciad Variorum

20

Pope’s Dunciad Variorum (1729)

''

'

'“What'Pope'has'done'here'is'take'the'old'tradi-onal'form'of'intertextuality'and'technologize'it'into'a'new'materialized'intertextuality'that'is'certainly'seeable,'almost'palpable.”'(Hunter,'64)'

'

'Pope'shided'the'“burden'of'discovery'from'learning'and'previous'reading'to'readerly'work'within'the'text.”'(Hunter,'65_66)'

'

'“The'Dunciad'Variorum'of'1729…manipulates'print'technology'almost'as'fully'and'complexly'as'Tristram'Shandy'does'thirty'years'later.”'(Hunter'58)'

'

'Regarding'the'iconic'status'of'this'Variorum'edi-on'in'terms'of'the'history'of'print'technology,'it'is'also'worth'no-ng'that'thirty'years'later,'Sterne'would'insist'that'the'first'edi-on'of'Tristram'Shandy'be'printed'in'the'same'typeface'as'that'used'in'Pope’s'Dunciad.'

'

21

Montfort and Strickland’s “Sea and Spar Between”

22

Montfort and Strickland’s “Sea and Spar Between”

“’Sea'and'Spar'Between’'…exemplifies'seven'different'ways'to'

seek'and'grasp'text:'1)'by'por-ng'code;'2)'by'transla-ng'text'

strings'and'processes;'3)'by'contras-ng'the'page/canvas'

experience'via'a'link'or'URL'with'the'experience'of'reading''

code'via'‘View'Source’;'4)'by'harpooning'a'par-cular'stanza'and'

using'the'browser’s'capability'for'bookmarking;'5)'by'crea-ng'

human_readable'glosses'of'code'for'readers'who'may'not'

iden-fy'as'programmers;'6)'by'rela-ng'its'depthless'virtual'

space'to'the'import'of'Mallarmé’s'Coup'de'dés'as'interpreted'

by'Quen-n'Meillassoux;'7)'by'foregrounding'non_translatability'

as'a'characterizing'sieve'for'natural'languages.”'(Mon{ort'and'

Strickland,'“Spars'of'Language'Lost'at'Sea,”'Unpublished'Paper,'

2013)'

'

' ' ''

23

Montfort and Strickland’s “Sea and Spar Between”

“The'words'in'Sea$and$Spar$Between'come'from'Emily'

Dickinson’s'poems'and'Herman'Melville’s'Moby$Dick.'Certain'

compound'words'(kennings)'are'assembled'from'words'used'

frequently'by'one'or'both.'Sea$and$Spar$Between'was'

composed'using'the'basic'digital'technique'of'coun-ng,'which'

allows'for'the'quan-ta-ve'analysis'of'literary'texts.'We'

considered,'for'instance,'words'that'were'used'by'only'one'of'

the'two'authors.'We'also'looked'at'certain'easily'enumerated,'

characteris-c'categories'of'words,'such'as'those'ending'in'

“less.”'

'

The'human/analog'element'involved'jointly'selec-ng'small'

samples'of'words'from'the'authors’'lexicons'and'inven-ng'a'few'

ways'of'genera-ng'lines.'We'did'this'not'quan-ta-vely,'but'

based'on'our'long'acquaintance'with'the'dis-nguishing'textual'

rhythms'and'rhetorical'gestures'of'Melville'and'

Dickinson.”'(Mon{ort/Strickland,'“How'To'Read'Sea'and'Spar'

Between”)'

'

' ' ''

24

Clarissa’s Musical Score (1748)

25

Clarissa’s Musical Score •  “With'the'inser-on'of'this'engraved'score'into'Clarissa,'a'graphic'design'which'

involved'significant'planning'and'expense,'Richardson'fuses'the'printed'code'of'a'

piece'of'music'with'his'own'verbal'text,'calling'par-cular'ahen-on'to'the'

performa-ve'aspects'of'his'fic-on,'the'book_making'process,'and'the'significant'

role'music'plays'in'the'world'of'the'novel.”'(Janine'Barchas.''Graphic'Design,'Print'

Culture,'and'the'Eighteenth'Century'Novel.'Cambridge,'2003.'94)'

'

•  “It'is'not'an'unar{ul'Management'to'interest'the'Readers'so'much'in'the'Story,'as'

to'make'them'differ'in'Opinion'as'to'the'Capital'Ar-cles,'and'by'Leading'one,'to'

espouse'one,'another,'another,'Opinion,'make'them'all,'if'not'Authors,'

Carvers.”'(Samuel'Richardson'quoted'in'Keymer,'74)''

'''''

Mul-ple'func-ons/possibili-es'for'the'interpreta-on'of'the'musical'score:'

'

'According'to'Richardson,'he'hoped'to'make'the'novel'“less'solemn.”'''

'

'According'to'Barchas,'the'score'is'a'“visual'strategy'furthering'Richardson’s'own'interpre-ve'inten-ons'in''his'novel.”'[in'the'Vauxhall'tradi-on,'the'score'links'Clarissa'the'character'and'the'readers'of'the'book'to'an'upper'middle'class'form'of'entertainment]'

'

'According'to'the'music'scholar'Lawrence'Zibkowski,'“Enlightenment'preoccupa-ons'with'the'origins'of'language'and'the'place'of'music'within'systems'of'human'communica-on…[as'well'as]'how'language'and'music'did,'or'did'not,'relate'to'one'another.”'

'

26

Clarissa’s Musical Score (1748)

27

Moulthrop’s “Under Language”

"Under'Language"'is'the'latest'in'my'series'of'textual'

instruments,'a'term'I'borrowed'from'John'Cayley'many'years'

ago'to'describe'things'that'might'look'like'literature,'but'also'

like'structures'for'play,'though'not'necessarily'what'we'

would'call'games.'…'

'

The'phrase'"under_language"'was'invented'by'the'comics'

ar-st,'Alan'Moore,'in'an'interview'he'gave'in'the'early'1980s.'

He'used'it'to'describe'the'essence'of'comics'art,'which'is'

neither'verbal'nor'visual,'but'something'that'underlies'and'

infuses'both'modes.'…'

'

Steeped'in'double'senses,'and'devoted'to'play,'the'"Under'

Language"'offered'here'nonetheless'ahempts'to'express'

something'serious'about'words:'namely,'that'in'the'era'that'

succeeds'the'old'Age'of'Print,'we'need'to'no-ce'how'wri9ng'

intersects'code.''

'

'

Moulthrop,'“About'Under'Language”''

28

Moulthrop’s Under Language

Some'Historical'and'Contemporary'Textual'Ar-facts'That'Use'

Communica-ons'Technologies'to'Respond'to'and'Shape'Changing'Literacy'

Prac-ces''

' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ''

' ' ' 'Mul-modal'''Interac-ve''Self_Referen-al'''Didac-c'''Remedia-on'

Dunciad'Variorum' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ' '''''+'

Sea'and'Spar'Between'' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ' '''''+'

'

Clarissa'' ' ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+ ''''''''''''''+'

Under'Language'' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ' '+ ' ''''+'''''''''''''''''+'

'

+=yes'

_=no'

'

'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

textual'ar-facts'

'

Hermeneu-c/Disciplinary:'What'are'the'implica-ons'of'

thinking'about'literary'works'as'material'ar-facts?'

'

Historical/Theore-cal:'How'valid'is'any'transhistorical'

inves-ga-on?'

'

Ontological/Technological:'How'can'electronic'texts'and'

printed'texts'be'compared'considering'the'significant'

differences'between'them'materially'and'their'cultural'and'

medial'contexts?'

'

'

beyond'binaries'

issues'

'

While'every'act'of'interpreta-on'is'the'construc-on'and'

promo-on'of'a'par-cular'narra-ve,'what'I'like'about'this'

one'is'that'it'may'inflect'the'way'both'electronic'literature'

and'print'literature'are'discussed'cri-cally,'and'emphasize'

that'both'are'responding'to'and'informing'ongoing'

nego-a-ons'amongst'socio_cultural'structures,'

technologies,'literacy'prac-ces,'and'literature'and'art'

making.'''

'

beyond'binaries'

possibili-es'

•  Being/Represen-ng:''medium'and'materiality'of'art,'literary,'and'electronic'objects'(Krauss,'Drucker,'Kirschenbaum,'Hayles)'

•  Media/Mode'Rela-onships'(Kress,'Gitelman,'Hayles)'

•  Genre'forma-on,'technology,'and'literacy'prac-ces'(Warner,'Hunter,'Moulthrop,'Hayles)'

'

beyond'binaries'

ques-ons/discussion'

33

Hegirascope’s Black Page

34

Bibliography • 

Aarseth,'Espen'J..'Cybertext:$Perspec9ves$On$Ergodic$Literature.'Bal-more,'Md.:'Johns'Hopkins'U'P,'1997.'Print.'

Barchas,'Janine.'Graphic$Design,$Print$Culture,$and$the$EighteenthFCentury$Novel.'Cambridge,'U.K.:'Cambridge'University'Press,'2003.'Print.'

Castle,'Terry.'Clarissa's$Ciphers:$Meaning$&$Disrup9on$In$Richardson's$"Clarissa".'Ithaca,'N.Y.:'Cornell'University'Press,'1982.'Print.'

Cayley,'John.''“The'Code'Is'Not'the'Text.”'Electronic$Book$Review.'2002_09_10.''Web.''hhp://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/electropoe-cs/literal'

Char-er,'Roger.'The$Order$Of$Books:$Readers,$Authors,$And$Libraries$In$Europe$Between$The$Fourteenth$And$Eighteenth$Centuries.'Stanford:'Stanford'UP,'1994.'Print.'

Danius,'Sara.'The$Senses$Of$Modernism:$Technology,$Percep9on,$And$Aesthe9cs.'Ithaca:'Cornell'U'P,'2002.'Print.'

Douglas,'Jane'Yellowlees.'The$End$Of$Books$F$Or$Books$Without$End?:$Reading$Interac9ve$Narra9ves.'Ann'Arbor:'U'of'Michigan'P,'2000.'Print.'

Drucker,'Johanna.''The'Visible'Word:'''

Eskelinen,'Markku.'Cybertext$Poe9cs:$The$Cri9cal$Landscape$Of$New$Media$Literary$Theory.'New'York:'Con-nuum,'2012.'Print.'

Ezell,'Margaret'J.'M.,'and'Katherine'Keeffe.'Cultural$Ar9facts$And$The$Produc9on$Of$Meaning:$The$Page,$The$Image,$And$The$Body.'Ann'Arbor:'U'of'Michigan'P,'1994.'Print.'

Flint,'Christopher.'The$Appearance$of$Print$in$EighteenthFCentury$fic9on.'Cambridge:'Cambridge'U'P,'2011.'Print.'

Fruin,'Noah.'Expressive$Processing.'Cambridge'(Mass.):'MIT'P,'2009.'Print.'

Fysh,'Stephanie.'The$Work(s)$of$Samuel$Richardson.'Newark:'U'of'Delaware'P,'1997.'Print.'

Gendolla,'Peter,'and'“Playing'with'Signs:'Towards'an'Aesthe-c'Theory'of'Net'Literature.”$In$The$Aesthe9cs$of$Net$Literature:$Wri9ng,$Reading$andPplaying$in$the$Programmable$Media.'Bielefeld:'Transcript';'2007.'PAGES.'Print.'

Gervais,'Bertrand.''“Is'There'a'Text'on'this'Screen?''Reading'in'an'Era'of'Hypertextuality.”''A$Companion$to$Digital$Literary$Studies,'ed.'Susan'Schreibman'and'Ray'Siemens.'Oxford:'Blackwell,'2008.''Web.''hhp://www.digitalhumani-es.org/companionDLS/'

Gitelman,'Lisa.'Always$Already$New:$Media,$History$and$the$Data$of$Culture.'Cambridge,'Mass.:'MIT'Press,'2006.'Print.'

Hayles,'N.'Katherine.'Electronic$Literature:$New$Horizons$for$the$Literary.'Notre'Dame,'Ind.:'University'of'Notre'Dame,'2008.'Print.'

___.''“Print'Is'Flat,'Code'Is'Deep:''

Interview'with'Gitelman'

Hunter,'J.'Paul.'"From'Typology'to'Type:'Agents'of'Change'in'Eighteenth_Century'English'Texts."'Cultural$Ar9facts$and$the$Produc9on$of$Meaning.''Ed.'Margaret'J.M.'Ezell'and'Katherine'Keeffe.''Ann'Arbor:''U'Michigan'P,'1994.''Print.'

35

Bibliography • 

Kernan,'Alvin'B..'Prin9ng$Technology,$LeXers,$&$Samuel$Johnson.'Princeton,'N.J.:'Princeton'U'P,'1987.'Print.'

Keymer,'Thomas.'Richardson's$"Clarissa"$and$the$EighteenthFCentury$Reader.'Cambridge:'Cambridge'U'P,'1992.'Print.'

Keymer,'Thomas.''Tristram$Shandy:$A$Casebook.''NY:''OUP,'2006.'

Koskimaa,'Raine.''Digital'Literature:'From'Text'to'Hypertext'and'Beyond.''Web.'

Mon{ort,'Nick'and'Stephanie'Strickland.''"Sea'and'Spar'Between."''Dear$Navigator.''School'of'the'Art'Ins-tute'of'Chicago.''Winter,'2012.''Web.'''

Moulthrop,'Stuart.'"The'Analog'Experience'of'Digital'Culture."'Cybertext$Yearbook'(2000):'183_98.'

___.'"Lid'This'End:'Electronic'Literature'in'a'Blue'Light."'Electronic'Book'Review'hhp://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/electropoe-cs/blue%20light'

___.''Under'Language.''Iowa$Review.'2007.''Web'

___.'"What'the'Geeks'know:'Hypertext'and'the'Problem'of'Literacy."'Proceedings$of$the$Sixteenth$ACM$Conference$on$Hypertext$and$Hypermedia.'ACM,'2005.'

Preston,'John.''The$Created$Self:$$The$Reader’s$Role$in$EighteenthFCentury$Fic9on.''NY:'Barnes'and'Noble,'1970'

Siemens,'Ray,'and'Susan'Schreibman.'A$Companion$to$Digital$Literary$Studies.'New'York:'Wiley,'2013.'Web.'

Warner,'William'Beahy.'Licensing$Entertainment:$The$Eleva9on$of$Novel$Reading$in$Britain,$1684F1750.'Berkeley:'U'of'California'P,'1998.'Print.'