Hyperfiction: Very Bold

Before this class I had never heard of the term hyperfiction. I had no idea it was a type of literacy, so when we were assigned to read Charmin' Cleary and Twelve Blue I was unsure of what to expect. My first assumption was that the readings would be articles or short stories that we simply read online and then to go to the "next page" or continuation of the story we simply click on the given link and then the story would continue from right where it was before I clicked, sounds pretty simple right?

I quickly discovered my assumption was way off. Instead of hyperfiction being online stories in which the reader passively reads in a linear manner, they are stories that are non linear. My first reaction after attempting to tackle this new genre that I've never heard of was frustration. I didn't understand the logic behind a non linear story, but now when I think about it, maybe the genre of hyperfiction was inevitable. We have previously discussed in class how the internet makes us think and interpret information differently. So maybe it was only a matter of time before literature became non-linear.

I think an easier way of understanding what I'm trying to discuss is by relating the hyperfiction to movies. In the early days of cinema all Hollywood movies were the same, more specifically the storyline of all movies were the same. There was a beginning, middle, and an end, and the movie was told in that order. The beginning is used for introduction, rising action takes place in the middle, then there's the climax and the end and the resolution. For decades the stories in movies were all told like this. Now fast forward from 1940 to 1994, Pulp Fiction just came out. Audiences couldn't believe what they were watching. The main character was killed off in the middle of the movie, the first scene of the movie was actually the last scene of the movie, events were happening that didn't seem related because the movie's story moves through its beginning, middle, and end in an order that was never done before.

Some critics bashed the movie because it was so different, others praised it, but when it's all said and done many people today say it's one of the best movies ever made. Now the point I'm trying to make is that maybe hyperfiction can be viewed as a bold and original way to tell a story. I'm not saying I personally like it, nor do I care for Pulp Fiction that much, but I think it's important as readers to not ignore the originality of works. I don't think Hyperfiction will ever become very popular, much like Quentin Tarantino's works aren't very popular, but hyperfiction is a bold and original type of literacy and even though I don't personally like it, I have respect for the genre.