Electronic Literacy

Electronic literacy was a foreign term to me until I spent some time in Dr. Umland's English course. This course explores E-Lit and how it applies to students, teachers, and the future of literature. In this college course, our class has read several books to better understand the subject including N. Katherine Hayles' Electronic Literature: New Horizons for the Literary and Italo Calvino's Six Memos for the Next Millenium. In this blog I will focus on Italo Calvino's work and how it applies to some of the electronic literature examples found in Hayles' book. Calvino was not referring to E-Lit in his lectures that were published from 1985-1986, but his insight does relate to this topic. I will comment on Calvino's work as well as relate it to E-Lit by using examples found on N. Katherine Hayles' website found at: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/index.html.

Quickness

Festina lente is Latin for “hurry slowly.” In Calvino’s lecture on quickness, he again employs opposites in order to express his thoughts. By presenting duel sides to an idea or concept, Calvino allows the reader to weigh the importance or value of both sides. Quickness has its qualities. Today’s American society wants everything done quickly. This attitude has led to thousands of fast food chains around the nation and around the globe. Instead of taking months to travel by ship across the Atlantic Ocean, planes carry passengers over in hours. Quickness in ingrained in our culture, and we have lost sight of the importance of lingering.

Two years ago I spent three months in Kenya as a school teacher. I learned that oftentimes slowness is more important than quickness. All laundry is done by hand and dries on a line. Food preparation often takes at least two hours. Rice must be picked through for rocks and chaff before it is boiled. Milk, fresh from the cow, must be boiled before it is drunk in order to prevent disease. Water is fetched from the river to use for washing, cooking, and drinking. In a dry, mountainous region some Kenyans spend four hours a day fetching water. Life is much slower, but it is no less significant. Because all of these tasks listed take much time, there is plenty of time for relationships while they are being accomplished. The hospitality that is shown to neighbors and the time spent talking with friends inspired me to slow down in my own life.

Returning to the United States was a bit of a culture shock, and once again I was thrown into the rush of life. My tasks took much less time thanks to machines and restaurants and even running water. However, I have not forgotten the time that these people took for others and the patience that they displayed in their lives. I still rush around while running errands and accomplishing my To Do List, but in that I try to remember to take time for people to make sure my tasks mean something in the end. I want to hurry slowly.

This concept of quickness is found in The Horse and His Boy when Shasta and Aravis are riding as fast as they can in order to escape a lion's claws:

"He [Shasta] looked over his shoulder. Everything was only too clear. A huge tawny creature, its body low to the ground, like a cat streaking across the lawn to a tree when a strange dog has got into the garden, was behind them. And it was nearer every second and half second.
"He looked forward again and saw something which he did not take in, or even think about. Their way was barred by a smooth green wall about ten feet high. In the middle of that wall there was a gate, open. In the middle of the gateway stood a tall man, dressed, down to his bare feet, in a robe colored like autumn leaves, leaning on a straight staff. His beard fell almost to his knees." (142-43)

In this scene everything is happening so quickly, yet the scene slows down almost to a stop in order for the narrator to describe the setting. This is festina lente. A great story is composed of different speeds. Action and suspense needs quickness and slowness combined. Lewis' writing uses the quickness that Calvino discusses in his book.

Examples of quickness in life and literature can be naturally applied in the classroom. While in Kenya, I learned about the importance that relationships with people takes precedence over simply completing a To Do List. This is the same within the classroom. Teachers should not be only concerned with agenda. The students' different learning styles and backgrounds must be considered. In taking time to really get to know the students, teachers will be more efficient in the classroom. In the same way, it takes time to learn and teach something new. E-Lit can be the media of literature that engages students. Teachers will benefit in incorporating E-Lit within the classroom curriculum. For an example of quickness in E-Lit, check out: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/beiguelman__code_movie_1/index.html. This piece of E-Lit is composed of letters and numbers moving at different speeds, giving the reader the illusion of festina lente.

Multiplicity

Multiplicity is the fifth concept that Calvino explores in Six Memos for the Next Millennium. Although the sixth topic is consistency, multiplicity is the last lecture recorded. Within this lecture, Calvino relates multiplicity to the encyclopedia. He writes that the subject of his lecture is "the contemporary novel as an encyclopedia, as a method of knowledge, and above all as a network of connections between the events, the people, and the things of this world" (105). Not only does Calvino compare the contemporary novel to an encyclopedia, but he calls it an "open" encyclopedia, "which etymologically implies an attempt to exhaust knowledge of the world by enclosing it in a circle" (116). In saying that novels of the twentieth century are an open encyclopedia, Calvino is saying that there is a method knowledge where there are so many different connections that come together through ideas and experiences of people around the world. There is no way that man can know everything, but in seeking knowledge, man discovers connections to even more that he does not and cannot know.

This idea is even more applicable today with continual advances in technology. The internet, which is much more advanced today than 1985 when Six Memos was published, has added to Calvino's concept of multiplicity. People network all the time through e-mail, personal websites, and blogs. The spider's web of network grows thicker and thicker, but there is much more room for growth. Skype, already several years old, allows people to see each other face-to-face through a computer screen and communicate around the world.

Calvino relates novels to an encyclopedia, but why stop there? Technology as well allows people from all over the world hear of experiences and ideas that are foreign to them. Those experiences and ideas would remain foreign to them were it not for literature in print form as well as electronic form. Novels and technology make the world a much smaller place.

The Horse and His Boy addresses multiplicity. The boy Shasta is raised in the south of Calormen, yet he desires to escape to the North, to the land of Narnia. In order to complete this journey, Shasta (along with his three new companions) must pass through the city of Tashbaan. Instead of passing through the populated city quietly and unnoticed, Shasta is discovered and mistaken for the runaway Prince Corin, the Prince of Archenland in the North. He is separated from his friends and taken to the palace where he is taken care of as well as lovingly scolded. After eating a feast that was set before him, Shasta falls asleep. He is awakened by a crash, and this is what follows:

"He jumped up off the sofa, staring. He saw at once from the mere look of the room - the lights and shadows all looked different - that he must have slept for several hours. He saw also what had made the crash: a costly porcelain vase which had been standing on the windowsill lay on the floor broken into about thirty pieces. What he did notice was tow hands gripping the windowsill from outside. They gripped harder and harder (getting white at the knuckles_ and then up came head and a pair of shoulders. A moment later there was a boy of Shasta's own age sitting stride the sill with one leg handing down inside the room.

"Shasta had never seen his own face in a looking glass. Even if he had, he might not have realized that the other boy was (at ordinary times) almost exactly like himself. At the moment this boy was not particularly like anyone for he had the finest black eye you ever saw, and a tooth missing, and his clothes (which must have been splendid ones when he put them on) were torn and dirty, and there was both blood and mud on his face." (77-78)

The boy immediately introduces himself to Shasta as Prince Corin. The prince also remarks about the boys' similar physical appearances. Shasta explains to him that he has been mistaken for Corin. Instead of trying to remedy the mistake, Corin tries to convince Shasta to play along longer and to "get some fun out of this being mistaken for one another" (79). Shasta refuses and leaves the palace after Corin gives him directions.

These two boys seem to be multiples of one another. Except for Corin's temporarily rough appearance, the boys are identical. Through their meeting in the palace, they are also connected. Shasta is from the South, Corin from the North. Shasta desires to escape to the North, while Corin is enjoying his stay in Tashbaan in the South. These two boys are not only duplicates of one another, but they are networking with one another, which is how Calvino refers to multiplicity. I don't want to spoil the book for those that have not read it, but there is definitely aspects of multiplicity in Lewis' novel.

Multiplicity can be shown in Electronic Literature as well. Reiner Strasser and Alan Sondheim created "Tao" which can be viewed at: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/strasser_sondheim__tao/tao.html. This is an example of multiplicity by the dual images that are presented throughout the work. These paralleling images exemplify multiplicity in that they are similar in appearance, yet they are different in color. Technology works in the same way. There are many modes of technology, yet they are similar in advancing knowledge and communication. E-Lit can increase knowledge and communication by enabling students to express themselves through images as well as words. Electronic Literature is redefining the way that literature is perceived.

Visibility

What is imagination and where does it come from? Calvino expresses to his students that even he does not know the answer. Imagination is like an iceberg, he says. A person may have a vague sense of the image's origin, but the majority of lies hidden in the depths. The image of the iceberg is phenomenal because because it helps the reader understand Cavino's point. He writes that we cannot know exactly from where images within our imagination come. It is a mystery.

Although the origin of the images of our imagination is not completely known, one can still utilize those images. Electronic literature allows authors to intertwine text and images to express their imaginations. New doors are being opened in the world of literature. There is much to explore and much to discover. By using imagination and technology, one can revolutionize the way literature is experienced.

Visibility is seen in The Horse and His Boy through one of my favorite scenes. Shasta has been instructed to travel as fast as he can to warn King Lune of Archenland about the approaching Calormen army. Shasta departs immediately and warns King Lune in time. However, as the Archenland army makes its way back to Narnia, Shasta lags behind and loses sight of them. He is left alone on a borrowed horse and must make it to Narnia without knowing the way. As he travels in fear of the approaching enemy, Shasta's imagination runs wild, and he makes visible in his mind what his eyes cannot see. He hears something or someone beside him:

"The Thing (unless it was a Person) went on beside him so very quietly that Shasta began to hope he had only imagined it. But just as he was becoming quite sure of it, there suddenly came a deep, rich sigh out of the darkness beside him. That couldn't be imagined! Anyway, he had felt the hot breath of that sigh on his chilly left hand.
"If the horse had been any good - or if he had known how to get any good out of the horse - he would have risked everything on a breakaway and a wild gallop. But he knew he couldn't make that horse gallop. So he went on at a walking pace and the unseen companion walked and breathed beside him. At last he could bear it no longer.
"'Who are you?' he said, scarcely above a whisper.
"'One who has waited long for you to speak,' said the Thing. Its voice was not loud, but very large and deep.
"'Are you - are you a giant?' asked Shasta.
"'You might call me a giant,' said the Large Voice. 'But I am not like the creatures you call giants.'
"'I can't see you at all,' said Shasta, after staring very hard. Then (for an even more terrible idea had come into his head) he said, almost in a scream, 'You're not - not something dead, are you?'" (162-63).

Shasta's imagination runs away with him. The image of a giant or something dead frightened him even though he did not see the creature next to him. Where did those images come from? Calvino asks where images come from, and Lewis supports this idea in presenting a great literary example of visibility.

Visibility is also shown in E-Lit. "Carving in Possibilities" by Deena Larsen gives the reader a sense of visibility in that phrases appear that question reality and what is truly seen. This author does a great job of employing the imagination of the reader. Teachers must engage the students in the activities within the classroom. Utilizing E-Lit is a great way to explore literature and engage the students' imaginations. "Carving in Possibilities" may be viewed at: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/larsen__carving_in_possibilities.html.

Exactitude

In the same way that Calvino uses lingering to emphasize quickness, he uses vagueness to emphasize exactitude. Poetry can be very vague and open to interpretation, yet poetry is filled with purpose and clear imagery. Calvino does not define “exactitude” as absolute, but he defines it as text or images with purpose. William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Crimson Cyclamen” exemplifies Calvino’s thoughts of exactitude. Through the poem’s creativity and its memorable image of a flower, “The Crimson Cyclamen” illustrates text with purpose.

Williams directs his text with purpose, but conversation and action should be likewise directed. How a person presents himself defines his character. It has been said that actions speak louder than words, so it is important to make sure that a person is acting in the way that they wanted to be described by the words of others. Calvino writes of literature, but I think that his lectures may also be applied to other aspects of life.

Exactitude can be found in C. S. Lewis' writings as well. There is a scene in The Horse and His Boy where Aravis, a young girl who is running away from home just like Shasta, tells the story of her adventure thus far. She is careful of the precision in which that she weaves her tale. Lewis writes:

"At last Bree said, 'And now, Tarkeena [Aravis], tell us your story. And don't hurry it - I'm feeling comfortable now.'
"Aravis immediately began, sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her usual one. For in Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you're taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay writing. The difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays" (34-35).

The exactitude about which Calvino writes is not only addressed to poetry, but all facets of life. Aravis was conscious of the manner in which she spoke, her posture, and the words that she chose in order to tell her story. By employing exactitude, one increases purpose in writing. Electronic literature may seem arbitrary in nature, but similarly to poetry, E-Lit demonstrates exactitude through its poetic form and use of image. "Landscapes" by Bill Marsh is a great example of exactitude in E-Lit. Here is the URL: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/marsh__landscapes.html. This piece of electronic literature is precise in its choice of words, yet vague in its interpretation. When writing any piece of literature, purpose and precision must be included.

Lightness

In his book Six Memos for the Next Millennium Italo Calvino wrote out five entire lectures to his students. The six was never completed. Calvino's first lecture speaks of the subject of "lightness." The term lightness has several definitions, but Calvino discusses the topic in a unique way. Calvino explores three features of lightness: 1)verbal texture, 2)train of thought, and 3)visual image. I would like to address Calvino's third feature of image.

According to Calvino, lightness can be best understood through the use of opposites. Towards the beginning of his lecture, Calvino recounts Ovid's Greek myth of Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa. Legend has it that anyone who looked into the face of Medusa would turn to stone. In order to kill Medusa, Perseus used his bronze shield in order to look upon her image as a reflection. Perseus succeeds in cutting off Medusa's head, and he carries it with him in a sack. By revealing the Gorgon's head to his enemies, they are turned to stone.

What does this myth have to do with lightness and visual image? Calvino is very intentional about the stories that he tells because of the images that they portray. One may interpret the Gorgon's head as "heaviness" or burdens in life. In gazing solely into the face of life's burdens, one is easily bogged down with stress and anxiety. However, one can look into the reflection of the heaviness of life, as Perseus looks into his shield, and find a lightness in life. Dwelling on life's hardships can cause even greater pain than the trials themselves, but one can find lightness in the purpose behind hardships. Trials in life often force people to question their values and reevaluate their decisions. Even though life can be heavy, using tough times as learning experiences can lighten the load.

With lightness on the brain, I am reminded of a favorite childhood story The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis. It is the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. Some of you may be familiar with the two fairly recent films The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. These are based on the second and fourth books in the series. The Horse and His Boy unlike these other stories revolves around a boy named Shasta as opposed to the four Pevensie children. Shasta is the supposed son of a poor and abusive fisherman living far south in Calormen, a land south of Narnia. Shasta discovers that the fisherman was actually found in a boat as an infant. Finding an opportunity to escape, Shasta runs away with a horse that can actually speak, for this horse is from the land of Narnia where beasts talk and think like men. Shasta and Bree, the horse, decide to make the long journey to Narnia. Along the way they run into many obstacles.

At one point in the story, Shasta is separated from Bree and two friends that they have found along the way. Shasta is to wait at the tombs outside of the city of Tashbaan for them, but the others are delayed. The boy finds himself alone at dusk amidst dark and gloomy tombs. Here is an excerpt:

"Suddenly from somewhere behind him there came a terrible sound. Shasta's heart gave a great jump and he had to bite his tongue to keep from screaming. Next moment he realized what it was: the horns of Tashbaan blowing for the closing of the gates. 'Don't be silly little coward,' said Shasta to himself. 'Why, it's only the same noise you heard this morning.' But there is a great difference between a noise heard letting you in with your friends in the morning, and a noise heard along at nightfall, shutting you out. And now that the gates were shut he knew there was no chance of the others joining him that evening."

Shasta finds heaviness all around him. He is alone and afraid, tired and hungry. His senses are heightened, and he has nowhere to run and nothing to do but sit amongst the tombs and imagine the creeping things that could be watching him. Suddenly, he feels something touch his leg and he cries out. He is relieved to find that it is only a cat. The cat stares at the boy and leads him through the tombs and out on the desert side of them. It sits upright facing Narnia and the North, "as still as if it were watching for some enemy." Shasta is able to lay down with his back to the cat and his face toward the Tombs. This cat is a great comfort to Shasta. Instead of lying awake all night, the boy is able to sleep. Even when he wakes in the middle of the night and hears shrieks from the desert, the cat remains and comforts the boy. The cat brings lightness to Shasta's dark and heavy situation.

"Faith" by Robert Kendall gives the reader a sense of lightness. The word faith implies hope. A few words are added to the page with light and airy musical notes. As the words pile up and become clutter, however, the musical becomes heavier. The contrast between the beginning of the piece and the end exemplifies Calvino's concept of lightness and heaviness. This piece may be accessed at this URL: http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/kendall__faith/index.htm.