What if?  This simple phrase, used so commonly, carries a large meaning.  This question implies choice.  We have the power to choose which path we travel down, and this path is determined by the choices we make; we are the authors of our lives.  As individuals we have the power to write our lives anyway we choose.  The chapters of our lives are constructed by the choices we make, and more importantly, our reactions to those choices.  For example, if we make a mistake do we attempt to fix it, or do we ignore it in hopes of acting as if it never happened?  No matter who or what influences our personal story, we must realize that we are the sole author of our story.  As a result, we must take full responsibility for our actions and the consequences that ensue. 

Sometimes when reading novels in high school or college, students find themselves struggling to find and understand hidden meanings scattered throughout these novels.  However, throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley clearly refers to other texts and allusions; she hides nothing.  Shelley integrates various quotations from Paradise Lost, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and many more.  Each of these texts helps illustrate Shelly’s emphasis on choices and their consequences.  Paradise Lost, in particular, directly correlates to the assertion that we are the author of our lives, because although we can be influenced by outside sources, we ultimately make our own decisions, and we must live with the consequences.

“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay

To mould me man?  Did I solicit thee

From darkness to promote me? –”- Paradise Lost

The beginning portion of this quotation from Paradise Lost illustrates the choice Victor is faced with.  The creature does not “request” that Victor create him; rather, Victor takes the initiative to craft this creature.  Although Victor understands that “a human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility,” Victor strays from this belief (Shelley 59).  Victor allows the creation of the monster to consume him; his passion for construction engulfs him completely.  Had Victor remained level-headed, he would have recognized the magnitude of the decision he was making.  The choice Victor makes to create this monster, despite his better knowledge, parallels Adam and Eve’s decision to take a bite out of the apple that God had forbidden them to touch.  Adam and Eve failed to keep their composure, and like Victor, allowed their passion and desires to get the best of them.  Because Victor, Adam, and Eve are the authors of their lives, they are forced to live with the outcome of their decisions.  For Victor, he must deal with his conscience constantly reminding him that Justine, who is completely innocent, is accused and punished for something she did not do.  Victor’s choices not only created grief for his family due to the death of his brother, but they also created turmoil in Justine’s life, illustrating to Victor the harmful consequences of his actions.  Adam and Eve, on the other hand, realized that although they are the authors of their own personal lives, their choices affect those around them.  Because of their prior actions, humanity will never be the same.  Like Victor affected himself and his family, Adam and Eve affected all of us; they transformed the human race.

The second part of the quotation from Paradise Lost once again illustrates the power we have to write the story of our lives any way we please.  Victor is not “solicited” to make this creature; rather, he personally decides to create the creature.  Knowing it was the decision he made that caused the death of his brother, Victor realizes he is “the true murderer” (Shelley 84).  Disturbed by this knowledge, Victor is extremely upset.  Through his sorrows, he comes to the realization that he “had been the author of unalterable evils;” the decision he had previously made could not be undone (Shelley 87).  This feeling directly relates to those of Adam and Eve.  After committing the sin, Adam and Eve realized they did not have the ability to undo what they had previously done.  As Shelley words it, “the apple was already eaten” (Shelley 162).  This metaphor used in Frankenstein alludes to the sin Adam and Eve committed.  The allusion combines the assertion that just as Adam and Eve cannot retrace their steps and erase their mistakes, so Victor cannot take back what he has done either.  As seen in both Adam and Eve’s lives as well as Victor’s, we each have control over our own lives; we have the final say when it comes to making choices.  Furthermore, whatever choice we decide to ultimately make we must live with, because it cannot be undone.

Faced with the decision of whether or not to create a female companion, Victor feels the intensity of the power of choice.  Influenced by the monster as well as thinking about his own well-being and the well-being of others, Victor feels obligated.  He feels as if he should create a partner for the creature so that as the creature promised, he would steer clear of humanity.  However, Victor is torn.  He “thought of the promise of virtues which he [the creature] had displayed on the opening of his existence.”  Victor also contemplated the creature’s “power and threats” (Shelley 130-1).  After much deliberation, Victor consents to the creature’s desire and begins crafting a female.  After constructing all of the pieces of the female character, Victor reflects on what he is doing.  Recognizing what could go wrong, Victor destroys each of the pieces of the creature before assembling them.  Although Victor was influenced by the creature, Victor made a personal decision to destroy the female creature before instilling her with life in suspicion of what could have happened had he given her the ability to roam the world with her companion.  Although this decision may seem rash, Victor’s avoidance of the choice to bring the female to life, was a choice in itself.  This choice, like the others, came with its own consequences.  In the end, Victor’s decision caused the death of his good friend, Henry, as well as the demise of his fiancée.  Not knowing the extent of what two creatures could accomplish together, Victor eliminated the possibility of them working together.  Victor’s decision reflects what he learned from previous mistakes and the power of choice.  Realizing he is the only author of his life, Victor uses this knowledge and contemplates his decision in an effort to make a sane decision that will benefit not only him but those around him as well.

                The power of choice is very evident throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but it is even more prominent in everyday real-life situations.  For example, as our society has modernized so have the ways in which we gather information.  As a society, we have strayed from reading published novels and find ourselves more dependent upon hypertext.  The choice to move towards hypertext rather than reading books reflects the power of choice presented in hypertext.  Stated in The Gutenberg Elegies, Sven Birkets references Robert Coover’s beliefs on hypertext.  Coover asserts, “with its web of linked lexias, its networks of alternate routes hypertext presents a radically divergent technology, interactive and polyvocal…freeing the reader from domination by the author” (Birkets 153).  Coover’s belief illustrates the tables turning.  Rather than reading a one-dimensional book where the author dictates how the story will progress, we are faced with hypertext’s numerous pathways all leading to different directions.  Being the author of our lives, we have the power to choose what to explore in depth and what to quickly pass over; we have the power at our fingertips.  However, we must continuously remind ourselves that with control comes accountability.  The interactive nature of hypertext clearly illustrates the control being placed in an individual’s lap rather than the author dominating the reader.

            Shelley Jackson also reflects upon choices in her essay entitled, Stitch Bitch.  Referencing her novel, Patchwork Girl, Shelley illustrates her beliefs on hypertext.  Jackson asserts that when reading hypertext it is difficult to “figure out what matters and what doesn’t” (Jackson).  As a result, the reader must take responsibility to grasp concepts completely in an effort to understand what is important and what is not.  Jackson goes on to compare hypertext to that of being in a foreign country, because “you have to pay attention to everything, which is exhausting” (Jackson).  This is another example of how we are the author of our lives.  With the power to explore numerous links of hypertext, we can write various chapters of our lives by researching as we please.  With the freedom granted by hypertext, the reader has control of what direction he will take his research.  Furthermore, with this power at our fingertips, we must recognize that we must live with the consequences that ensue whether good or bad.

            Some people may believe that it is impossible to be the sole author of your life due to the number of people that influence you on a daily basis.  These people may believe that these interactions socialize the way we make choices.  While I agree that we are influenced by other people as well as outside sources, I do not believe that they can be characterized as other authors of our lives.  I believe that while we are influenced by others, we ultimately make our own choices; we are the sole author of our lives.

            Several people marvel at the thought of having lots of power.  They believe that with this power they can do anything.  This is true.  However, many of these people fail to recognize that with so much power comes lots of responsibility.  As human beings, we are granted the right to do as we please, yet we must recognize that our actions can have severe consequences and we must deal with them accordingly.  Being the author of our lives is no mere task; it can even be very frightening at times.  However, being the sole author of our lives is very exciting as well.  We know that if we are successful it was because we worked hard and deserved it.  Being the sole author of our lives has its ups and downs; however, I believe that if we use this to our advantage we can be extremely successful human beings.

Birkets, Sven. The Gutenberg Elegies.  New York: 1994.

Jackson, Shelley.  Patchwork Girl.  Massachusetts. [hypertext]

Shelley Jackson. “Stitch Bitch: the patchwork girl” MIT Communications Forum. 1997. mit.  12/1/09.  http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/jackson.html

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: 2000.

            Before this final project I had never truly revised one of my papers.  Before turning in my papers I always looked over them to make sure my grammar and spelling was accurate, my thesis made sense, and I included enough support in my paper, but I had never really revised a paper more than that.  This paper was a challenge for me, because I didn’t know where to begin.  After reading over the assignment multiple times, I became more comfortable with the idea of revision.  I chose to revise and expand upon my second composition on intertextuality, because the conclusion of my paper sparked my attention.  I wrote about how we are the author of our lives, and when looking back upon what we had studied throughout this semester I felt as if that correlated to almost all of the novels we read and discussed in class.  In addition, I believe it is an interesting topic and there is a lot to learn from it. 

            Revising my paper took a lot of time and effort.  First, I created a new thesis.  From there, I used a few paragraphs from my second paper and altered them to fit my thesis.  I also added new ideas and changed the wording of those paragraphs.  Next, I analyzed my fourth composition on hypertext and used a few ideas from that paper to support my new thesis.  In order to do this I had to add, delete, and alter my thoughts in order for them to correlate to my thesis.

            I believe that I have grown as a writer throughout this term.  At the beginning of the term I created a to-do list that included improving transition sentences, creating stronger conclusions, and embedding quotations.  I believe that I have improved drastically in reference to these three things.  I have learned how to create transition sentences that allow my papers to flow more smoothly.  In addition, I believe my conclusions have improved, because they are not simply a repetition of my introduction; rather, they are a new thought that ties everything together.  Finally, throughout this term I have learned how to embed quotes into my text so that my ideas flow.  Although I believe my writing has improved throughout the semester, I believe my writing can still improve drastically.  I believe that I still need to work on creating stronger theses.  I would also like to work on implementing a higher vocabulary into my writing.  I believe that this will add a higher level of sophistication to my argument.  Finally, I would like to use more metaphors in my writing.  Overall, I believe this semester was extremely beneficial to my writing.  I learned a lot, and more importantly, I learned what I still need to work on.

What if?  This simple phrase, used so commonly, carries a large meaning.  This question implies choice.  We have the power to choose which path we travel down, and this path is determined by the choices we make.  Sometimes when reading novels in high school or college, students find themselves struggling to find and understand hidden meanings scattered throughout these novels.  However, throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley clearly refers to other texts and allusions; she hides nothing.  Shelley integrates various quotations from Paradise Lost, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and many more.  Each of these texts helps illustrate the effects of the decisions that have been made by each character. Paradise Lost, in particular, directly correlates to Shelley’s emphasis on choices and their consequences.  Shelley asserts, although we can be influenced by outside sources, we ultimately make our own decisions, and we must live with the consequences.

“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay

To mould me man?  Did I solicit thee

From darkness to promote me? –”- Paradise Lost

The beginning portion of this quotation from Paradise Lost illustrates the choice Victor finds himself faced with.  The creature does not “request” that Victor create him; rather, Victor takes the initiative to craft this creature.  Although Victor understands that “a human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility,” Victor strays from this belief (Shelley 59).  Victor allows the creation of the monster to consume him; his passion for construction engulfs him completely.  Had Victor remained level-headed, he would have recognized the magnitude of the decision he was making.  The choice Victor makes to create this monster, despite his better knowledge, parallels Adam and Eve’s decision to take a bite out of the apple that God had forbidden them to touch.  Adam and Eve failed to keep their composure, and like Victor, allowed their passion and desires to get the best of them.  Like Shelley emphasizes, Victor, Adam, and Eve, each make their own decisions, and they are forced to live with the outcome of their decisions.  For Victor, he must deal with his conscience constantly reminding him that Justine, who is completely innocent, is accused and punished for something she did not do.  Victor’s choices not only created grief for his family due to the death of his brother, but they also created turmoil in Justine’s life, illustrating to Victor the consequences of his actions.  Adam and Eve on the other hand, realized because of their prior actions humanity will never be the same.  Like Victor affected himself and his family, Adam and Eve affected all of us; they transformed the human race.

The second part of the quotation from Paradise Lost once again illustrates the power of choice.  Victor is not “solicited” to make this creature; he personally decides to create the creature.  Knowing it was the decision he made that caused the death of his brother, Victor realizes he is “the true murderer” (Shelley 84).  Disturbed by this knowledge, Victor is extremely upset.  Through his sorrows, he comes to the realization that he “had been the author of unalterable evils;” the decision he had previously made could not be undone (Shelley 87).  This feeling directly relates to those of Adam and Eve.  After committing the sin, Adam and Eve realized they did not have the ability to undo what they had done.  As Shelley words it, “the apple was already eaten” (Shelley 162).  This metaphor used in Frankenstein alludes to the sin Adam and Eve committed.  The allusion combines the assertion that just as Adam and Eve cannot retrace their steps and erase their mistakes, so Victor cannot take back what he has done either.  As seen in both Adam and Eve’s lives as well as Victor’s, we each have control over our own lives; we have the final say when it comes to making choices.  Furthermore, whatever choice we decide to ultimately make we must live with, because it cannot be undone.

Faced with the decision of whether or not to create a female companion, Victor feels the intensity of the power of choice.  Influenced by the monster as well as thinking about his own well-being and the well-being of others, Victor feels obligated.  He feels as if he should create a partner for the creature so that as the creature promised, he would steer clear of humanity.  However, Victor is torn.  He “thought of the promise of virtues which he [the creature] had displayed on the opening of his existence” Victor also contemplated the creature’s “power and threats” (Shelley 130-1).  After much deliberation, Victor consents to the creature’s desire and begins crafting a female.  After constructing all of the pieces of the female character, Victor reflects on what he is doing.  Recognizing what could go wrong, Victor destroys each of the pieces of the creature before assembling them.  Although Victor was influenced by the creature, Victor made a personal decision to destroy the female creature before instilling her with life in suspicion of what could have happened had he given her the ability to roam the world with her companion.  Although this decision may seem rash, Victor’s avoidance of the choice to bring the female to life, was a choice in itself.  This choice, like the others, came with its own consequences.  In the end, Victor’s decision caused the death of his good friend, Henry, as well as the demise of his fiancée.  Not knowing the extent of what two creatures could accomplish together, Victor eliminated the possibility of them working together.  I believe Victor’s attempt to eliminate any problems before they occurred was the right choice and reflects what he learned from his previous mistakes.  I believe Victor’s decision illustrates his understanding of the power of choice.

Like Shelley is the author of Frankenstein, we are the authors of our lives.  We have the power to write our lives anyway we choose.  The chapters of our lives are constructed by the choices we make, and more importantly, our reactions to those choices.  For example, if we make a mistake do we attempt to fix it, or do we ignore it in hopes of acting as if it never happened?  No matter who or what influences our personal story, we must realize that we are the sole author of our story.  As a result, we must take full responsibility for our actions and the consequences that ensue.

   What if? This simple phrase, used so commonly, carries a large meaning. This question implies choice. We have the power to choose which path we travel down, and this path is determined by the choices we make; we are the authors of our lives. As individuals we have the power to write our lives anyway we choose. The chapters of our lives are constructed by the choices we make, and more importantly, our reactions to those choices. For example, if we make a mistake do we attempt to fix it, or do we ignore it in hopes of acting as if it never happened? No matter who or what influences our personal story, we must realize that we are the sole author of our story. As a result, we must take full responsibility for our actions and the consequences that ensue. Sometimes when reading novels in high school or college, students find themselves struggling to find and understand hidden meanings scattered throughout these novels. However, throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley clearly refers to other texts and allusions; she hides nothing. Shelley integrates various quotations from Paradise Lost, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and many more. Each of these texts helps illustrate Shelly’s emphasis on choices and their consequences. Paradise Lost, in particular, directly correlates to the assertion that we are the author of our lives, because although we can be influenced by outside sources, we ultimately make our own decisions, and we must live with the consequences.

 “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me man? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me?” Paradise Lost

   The beginning portion of this quotation from Paradise Lost illustrates the choice Victor is faced with. The creature does not “request” that Victor create him; rather, Victor takes the initiative to craft this creature. Although Victor understands that “a human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility,” Victor strays from this belief (Shelley 59). Victor allows the creation of the monster to consume him; his passion for construction engulfs him completely. Had Victor remained level-headed, he would have recognized the magnitude of the decision he was making. The choice Victor makes to create this monster, despite his better knowledge, parallels Adam and Eve’s decision to take a bite out of the apple that God had forbidden them to touch. Adam and Eve failed to keep their composure, and like Victor, allowed their passion and desires to get the best of them. Because Victor, Adam, and Eve are the authors of their lives, they are forced to live with the outcome of their decisions. For Victor, he must deal with his conscience constantly reminding him that Justine, who is completely innocent, is accused and punished for something she did not do. Victor’s choices not only created grief for his family due to the death of his brother, but they also created turmoil in Justine’s life, illustrating to Victor the harmful consequences of his actions. Adam and Eve, on the other hand, realized that although they are the authors of their own personal lives, their choices affect those around them. Because of their prior actions, humanity will never be the same. Like Victor affected himself and his family, Adam and Eve affected all of us; they transformed the human race.

The second part of the quotation from Paradise Lost once again illustrates the power we have to write the story of our lives any way we please. Victor is not “solicited” to make this creature; rather, he personally decides to create the creature. Knowing it was the decision he made that caused the death of his brother, Victor realizes he is “the true murderer” (Shelley 84). Disturbed by this knowledge, Victor is extremely upset. Through his sorrows, he comes to the realization that he “had been the author of unalterable evils;” the decision he had previously made could not be undone (Shelley 87). This feeling directly relates to those of Adam and Eve. After committing the sin, Adam and Eve realized they did not have the ability to undo what they had previously done. As Shelley words it, “the apple was already eaten” (Shelley 162). This metaphor used in Frankenstein alludes to the sin Adam and Eve committed. The allusion combines the assertion that just as Adam and Eve cannot retrace their steps and erase their mistakes, so Victor cannot take back what he has done either. As seen in both Adam and Eve’s lives as well as Victor’s, we each have control over our own lives; we have the final say when it comes to making choices. Furthermore, whatever choice we decide to ultimately make we must live with, because it cannot be undone.

Faced with the decision of whether or not to create a female companion, Victor feels the intensity of the power of choice. Influenced by the monster as well as thinking about his own well-being and the well-being of others, Victor feels obligated. He feels as if he should create a partner for the creature so that as the creature promised, he would steer clear of humanity. However, Victor is torn. He “thought of the promise of virtues which he [the creature] had displayed on the opening of his existence.” Victor also contemplated the creature’s “power and threats” (Shelley 130-1). After much deliberation, Victor consents to the creature’s desire and begins crafting a female. After constructing all of the pieces of the female character, Victor reflects on what he is doing. Recognizing what could go wrong, Victor destroys each of the pieces of the creature before assembling them. Although Victor was influenced by the creature, Victor made a personal decision to destroy the female creature before instilling her with life in suspicion of what could have happened had he given her the ability to roam the world with her companion. Although this decision may seem rash, Victor’s avoidance of the choice to bring the female to life, was a choice in itself. This choice, like the others, came with its own consequences. In the end, Victor’s decision caused the death of his good friend, Henry, as well as the demise of his fiancée. Not knowing the extent of what two creatures could accomplish together, Victor eliminated the possibility of them working together. Victor’s decision reflects what he learned from previous mistakes and the power of choice. Realizing he is the only author of his life, Victor uses this knowledge and contemplates his decision in an effort to make a sane decision that will benefit not only him but those around him as well.

The power of choice is very evident throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but it is even more prominent in everyday real-life situations. For example, as our society has modernized so have the ways in which we gather information. As a society, we have strayed from reading published novels and find ourselves more dependent upon hypertext. The choice to move towards hypertext rather than reading books reflects the power of choice presented in hypertext. Stated in The Gutenberg Elegies, Sven Birkets references Robert Coover’s beliefs on hypertext. Coover asserts, “with its web of linked lexias, its networks of alternate routes hypertext presents a radically divergent technology, interactive and polyvocal…freeing the reader from domination by the author” (Birkets 153). Coover’s belief illustrates the tables turning. Rather than reading a one-dimensional book where the author dictates how the story will progress, we are faced with hypertext’s numerous pathways all leading to different directions. Being the author of our lives, we have the power to choose what to explore in depth and what to quickly pass over; we have the power at our fingertips. However, we must continuously remind ourselves that with control comes accountability. The interactive nature of hypertext clearly illustrates the control being placed in an individual’s lap rather than the author dominating the reader.

Shelley Jackson also reflects upon choices in her essay entitled, Stitch Bitch. Referencing her novel, Patchwork Girl, Shelley illustrates her beliefs on hypertext. Jackson asserts that when reading hypertext it is difficult to “figure out what matters and what doesn’t” (Jackson). As a result, the reader must take responsibility to grasp concepts completely in an effort to understand what is important and what is not. Jackson goes on to compare hypertext to that of being in a foreign country, because “you have to pay attention to everything, which is exhausting” (Jackson). This is another example of how we are the author of our lives. With the power to explore numerous links of hypertext, we can write various chapters of our lives by researching as we please. With the freedom granted by hypertext, the reader has control of what direction he will take his research. Furthermore, with this power at our fingertips, we must recognize that we must live with the consequences that ensue whether good or bad. Several people marvel at the thought of having lots of power. They believe that with this power they can do anything. This is true. However, many of these people fail to recognize that with so much power comes lots of responsibility.

As human beings, we are granted the right to do as we please, yet we must recognize that our actions can have severe consequences and we must deal with them accordingly. Being the author of our lives is no mere task; it can even be very frightening at times. However, being the sole author of our lives is very exciting as well. We know that if we are successful it was because we worked hard and deserved it. Being the sole author of our lives has its ups and downs; however, I believe that if we use this to our advantage we can be extremely successful and will be very proud of ourselves.

Birkets, Sven. The Gutenberg Elegies.  New York: 1994.

Jackson, Shelley.  Patchwork Girl.  Massachusetts. [hypertext]

Shelley Jackson. “Stitch Bitch: the patchwork girl” MIT Communications Forum. 1997. mit.  12/1/09.  http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/jackson.html

    As our society has evolved over the years so have the ways in which we live in it.  For example, as a society we have strayed from reading published novels; we now find ourselves reading hypertext more frequently.  Although hypertext and printed novels share the similar characteristic of both being ways to read information, hypertext varies from published work in that it is extremely engaging.  In order to successfully comprehend hypertext, one must actively participate.  It is unlike reading novels, because there is no one set direction.  Active participation invites the investigation of numerous different pathways.  Shelley Jackson’s Patchwork Girl is a prime example of this; the hypertext throughout the novel is extremely engaging and requires active participation.

            When sitting down to read a novel, the reader has only one choice.  He must start reading from the beginning of the novel or where he left off from his prior sitting; he then must turn the pages chronologically.  When interacting with hypertext, the reader has the power to decide which direction to take the hypertext.  In Sven Birkets, The Gutenberg Elegies, Birkets includes Robert Coover’s beliefs on hypertext.  Coover asserts that “with its web of linked lexias, its network of alternate routes hypertext presents a radically divergent technology, interactive and polyvocal, favoring a plurality of discourses over definitive utterance and freeing the reader from domination by the author” (Birkets 153).  As Coover states, hypertext gives the reader the power to utilize hypertext in whichever way he pleases.  The reader is not bound by a one-directional novel; rather, the reader is presented with multiple angles of a subject and the ability to explore as much or as little as he would like.  I agree with Coover’s assertion, because I felt this freedom when working with Patchwork Girl.  Beginning in the “graveyard”, I held the reigns and decided where I wanted to go from there.  I first clicked on “Head” which then lead me to a picture of a head as well as an in depth description of a skull.  After exploring this part of the graveyard, I then clicked on “Arms” the next time.  This particular hyperlink led me to information about resurrections as well as further information about the different parts of her arm and their significance to her lifestyle.  With the power granted by hypertext, I used this to my advantage and decided which subjects to explore and which topics to quickly pass over.  Patchwork Girl is a perfect example of a text where the reader, rather than the writer, decides what will come next.

            Containing many different pathways, hypertext not only demands active participation but “networking” is essential as well.  Birkets informs us that “information and contents do not simply move from one private space to another, but they travel along a network…taking place within a circuit of larger connectedness” (Birkets 122).  In order to successfully master hypertext, the reader must use many different hyperlinks to move from one idea to the next.  Unlike merely turning the page when reading a novel, hypertext requires a process.  The reader first investigates one section; from there, the reader will then be led to the next section.  Each hyperlink in hypertext is intertwined, and the relationship between each topic creates a larger picture tying each individual thought together.  Birkets’ assertion is illustrated throughout Patchwork Girl.  Investigating the “journal” in Patchwork Girl, I found that I had to click through multiple hyperlinks in order to gather information and then to move onto the following hypertext.  As I maneuvered my way through reading each individual hyperlink, I was confused.  Until I explored the “appetite,” “meeting,” “learn” and a few other hyperlinks within the journal did I eventually find the thread that tied each individual thought together. 

    In addition to Birkets describing hypertext, Shelley Jackson also comments on her beliefs of hypertext as well as her thoughts behind Patchwork Girl.  Jackson relates hypertext to that of being in a foreign country.  She asserts, “in hypertext, you can’t find out what’s important so you have to pay attention to everything, which is exhausting like being in a foreign country, you are not native” (Jackson, Stitch Bitch).  After exploring the graveyard and the journal in Patchwork Girl, I am in agreement with Jackson’s assertion.  I found it difficult to distinguish between what was important and what was not important.  Furthermore, I felt as if I was not native to the speech of Patchwork Girl.  Struggling to comprehend the language of hypertext, I felt uneasy, because I was unable to decipher what to pay close attention to and what I was able to skim through.  I worried I was missing something.  However, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to decide what was essential to my comprehension of the overall theme.  The style of hypertext requires readers to always be on their toes as well as actively participating in an effort to grasp the larger meaning of the text.

     Jackson also believes that hypertext is “easily influenced; it is largely for being influenced” (Jackson Stitch Bitch).  She clearly asserts that hypertext not only can be easily influenced, it calls for influence.  Hypertext is designed so that the reader has the power to maneuver through each text as he wishes.  My beliefs coincide with those of Jackson’s, because Patchwork Girl required me to influence it by only progressing with my participation.  Wanting to explore the “graveyard,” I influenced the hypertext by clicking through in order to understand the ideas the “graveyard” portrayed.

     On the contrary, some people may believe that hypertext is disengaging.  They may believe that clicking through each link is the same as turning the pages of a novel.  However, I believe that their opinion of disengagement is a form of engagement in itself.   If a reader merely turns the pages of a novel nonchalantly, they do not get as much out of the novel as they could.  This is the same for hypertext.  If the reader merely clicks through with minimal engagement they will understand the general idea of the text; however, they will not take much away from their experience.  I believe that in order to fully master hypertext, the reader must be completely engaged and give the hypertext their full attention.

   With an extremely complicated structure, hypertext invites numerous opinions.  For example, I believe Birkets would consider hypertext radically democratic, because there is no section that is more important than others.  Furthermore, I believe he would assert that the reader is not any more important than the author and vice versa.  On the other hand, I believe Jackson would categorize hypertext as more of an anarchy, because there is no structure.  Additionally, it is an unconventional way of thinking and form of authority.  I believe that a combination of Birkets’ and Jackson’s beliefs describe hypertext the best.  In my opinion, I believe hypertext is somewhere in the middle of the two; from my experience, I did not find one section more important than the others.  My beliefs also coincide with those of Shelley’s, because I believe that hypertext has no structure.  Although many people have different opinions of hypertext, I believe that no matter what way hypertext is broken down in order to be successful with it, the reader must actively participate.

As our society has evolved over the years so have the ways in which we live in it. For example, as a society we have strayed from reading published novels; we now find ourselves reading hypertext more frequently. Although hypertext and printed novels share the similar characteristic of both being ways to read information, hypertext varies from published work in that it is extremely engaging. In order to successfully comprehend hypertext, one must actively participate. It is unlike reading novels, because there is no one set direction. Active participation invites the investigation of numerous different pathways. Mary Shelley’s Patchwork Girl is a prime example of this; the hypertext throughout is extremely engaging and requires active participation. When sitting down to read a novel, the reader has only one choice. He must start reading from the beginning or where he left off from his prior sitting and turn the pages chronologically. When interacting with hypertext, the reader has the power to decide which direction to take the hypertext. In Sven Birkets, The Gutenberg Elegies, Birkets includes Robert Coover’s beliefs on hypertext. Coover asserts that “with its web of linked lexias, its network of alternate routes hypertext presents a radically divergent technology, interactive and polyvocal, favoring a plurality of discourses over definitive utterance and freeing the reader from domination by the author” (Birkets 153). As Coover states, hypertext gives the reader the power to utilize hypertext in whichever way he pleases. The reader is not bound by a one-directional novel; rather, the reader is presented with multiple angles of a subject and the ability to explore as much or as little as they would like. I agree with Coover’s assertion, because I felt this freedom when working with Patchwork Girl. Clicking on numerous hyperlinks, I held the reigns and decided which subjects to explore and which subjects to quickly pass over. Patchwork Girl is a perfect example of a text where the reader, rather than the writer, decides what will come next. Containing many different pathways, hypertext not only demands active participation but “networking” is essential as well. Birkets informs us that “information and contents do not simply move from one private space to another, but they travel along a network…Taking place within a circuit of larger connectedness” (Birkets 122). In order to successfully master hypertext, the reader must use many different hyperlinks to move from one idea to the next. Unlike turning the page when reading a novel, hypertext requires a process. The reader must first investigate one section and from there, the reader will be led to the next section. Each hyperlink in hypertext is intertwined, and the relation between all of them creates a larger picture bringing each individual thought together. Birkets’ assertion is illustrated throughout Patchwork Girl. Investigating Patchwork Girl, I found that I had to click through multiple hyperlinks in order to move to the following hypertext. As I maneuvered my way through, I realized each individual hyperlink related to another, and they all came together to form a unifying theme. In addition to Birkets describing hypertext, Mary Shelley also comments on her beliefs of hypertext as well as her thoughts behind Patchwork Girl. Shelley relates hypertext to that of being in a foreign country. She asserts, “in hypertext, you can’t find out what’s important so you have to pay attention to everything, which is exhausting like being in a foreign country, you are not native” (Shelley). After “reading” Patchwork Girl, I agree with Shelley’s assertion. I found it difficult to distinguish between what was important and what was not important. Furthermore, I felt as if I was not native to the speech of Patchwork Girl. Struggling to comprehend the language of hypertext, I found it difficult to decide what to pay close attention to and what I could skim through. However, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to decide what was essential to my comprehension of the overall theme. The style of hypertext requires readers to always be on their toes as well as actively participating in an effort to grasp the larger meaning of the text. Shelley also believes that hypertext is “easily influenced; it is largely for being influenced” (Shelley Stitch Bitch Banished body). She clearly asserts that hypertext not only can be easily influenced, it calls for influence. Hypertext is designed so that the reader has the power to maneuver through each text as he wishes. My beliefs coincide with those of Shelley’s, because throughout Patchwork Girl I had the power to influence the text. Moreover, the text invited me to influence it by only progressing with my participation. Wanting to explore the “graveyard,” I influenced the hypertext by clicking through in order to understand what the “graveyard” contained. On the contrary, some people may believe that hypertext is not engaging. They may believe that clicking through each link is the same as turning the pages of a novel. However when a reader merely turns the pages of a novel nonchalantly, they do not get as much out of the novel as they could. This is the same for hypertext. If the reader merely clicks through with minimal engagement they will understand the general idea of the text; however, they will not take much away from their experience. I believe that in order to fully master hypertext, the reader must be completely engaged and give the hypertext their full attention. With such a complicated structure, hypertext invites various opinions on its text. For example, I believe Birkets would consider hypertext radically democratic, because there is no section that is more important than others. Furthermore, the reader is not more important than the author and vice versa. On the other hand, I believe Shelley would categorize hypertext as more of an anarchy, because there is no structure. Additionally, it is an unconventional way of thinking and form of authority. I believe that a combination of Birkets’ and Shelley’s beliefs describe hypertext the best. In my opinion, I believe hypertext is somewhere in the middle of the two, because from my experience with Patchwork Girl I agree with Birkets that one section is not more important than another. My beliefs also coincide with those of Shelley’s, because I believe that hypertext has no structure. Most importantly, from my experience with Patchwork Girl, despite individual opinions of hypertext, I believe there is a general theme with hypertext: hypertext is extremely engaging and in order to be successful with dealing with it the reader must actively participate.

                Birkets’ discussion of “the electronic millennium” is an extremely compelling argument.  He discusses the change our society is making by venturing from the novel to moving towards electronic text so readily.  As our society modernizes it is evident that the way we gain insight is modernizing too.  Every day the people around me as well as myself use the computer.  In fact, it is a rare occasion if we do not use our computers each day.  We shuffle through numerous news headlines on the internet, check our email, and draft essays on the computer.  No matter what we do on the computer, it is an interactive process.  Birkets’ beliefs coincide with this statement.  Birkets asserts that electronic text is extremely interactive. 

            Birkets discusses the engagement electronic text has upon us.  He states, “information and contents do not simply move from one private space to another, but they travel along a network.”  The way that electronic text is set up, I agree with Birkets’ assertion.  “Networking” through electronic text is illustrated in many examples in our society today.  First, in Patchwork Girl you cannot just read information, you must click through different keywords in order to gain insight into the larger picture Shelley is trying to convey.  Networking is also exemplified in my personal life.  When reading electronic text, I find myself clicking one thing in order for it to lead me to the next.  By doing this I am “networking” through text; it is an interactive process.  This process varies from reading a novel, because I am actively participating in my investigation of information, rather than just reading a page and then turning to the next one. 

            In a different chapter entitled, “Hypertext,” Birkets discusses a related topic about the power a reader holds when dealing with hypertext.  He asserts that “with its webs of linked lexias, its networks of alternate routes hypertext presents a radically divergent technology, interactive and polyvocal, favoring a plurality of discourses over definitive utterance and freeing the reader from domination by the author.”  I agree with this assertion made by Birkets as well.  I believe that when reading hypertext on the computer, I feel as if I am a part of the author; I feel as if I have the power to write my own story, in the sense that I can decide what to read or what to investigate next.  On the other hand, if I am reading a novel, I am forced by the author to only read what she has written.  I cannot delve deeper into the novel, because that is all that there is to read nor can I decide what to investigate next.  In a novel, it is already set up for you; there are no choices.  Patchwork Girl is another example of Birkets’ assertion.  When dealing with Patchwork Girl, we have the power to choose what we investigate; however, if it were a novel, we would not be granted this decision.

            I believe that Birkets’ arguments are extremely thought provoking.  I believe they relate to our day and age very well making them even more interesting.  Because of the way our society has evolved, I agree with Birkets’ assertions that reading electronic text is an interactive process as well as it instilling in us power that we would not have if we were to read a book.

After fooling around with Patchwork Girl for a significant amount of time, I am at a loss for words. I found it extremely disorienting. Although Patchwork Girl revolves around links from one idea to the next, I felt as if it was not linked at all. Struggling to find some sort of common theme, I failed. Multiple times I tried to connect one idea to the next, but I was unsuccessful. Although I became frustrated after working with Patchwork Girl I was fascinated by the fact that although I could not personally link everything together, Mary Shelley was able to link numerous thoughts together that no one else would have thought possible. In addition, one of my favorite things about Patchwork Girl is the name. I agree with the thoughtful name posed by Shelley, because her creation is a patchwork, because she pieces many things together. After reading Hayles’ thoughts on Shelley’s Patchwork Girl I agree with many of the assertions he poses in his essay discussing Shelley’s Patchwork Girl.

First, Hayles discusses the power of change when dealing with electronic text. Hayles states that when dealing with electronic text a “single keystroke [has] the power to change the entire appearance of a textual image”. I agree with this belief, because just as I am typing a new thought now, I have the ability to change my idea in an instant if I am not satisfied or if I want to go in a different direction. In Patchwork Girl, Shelley illustrates this belief by creating text that once you click on, it changes to something different. On the other hand, books are more permanent. The text is in print published in a book; therefore, it is impossible to alter the text unless the entire book is recreated and republished.

Secondly, Hayles discusses issues of individual ideas. Referring to Blackstone in his essay, Hayles notes Blackstones thoughts, “Style and sentiment are the essentials of a literary compostion…The paper and print are merely accidents, which serve as vehicles to convey that style and sentiment.” I agree with this thought, because I believe that like Blackstone asserted style is the “private intellectual property.” This is the “part appropriate for copyright protection.” I agree with both of these assertions, because as seen in Patchwork Girl the style in which Shelley poses her thoughts and ideas is creative; it is original to her. Furthermore, I believe that in my personal life the way I express myself is original to me.

Hayles presents very interesting points when using Shelley’s Patchwork Girl to support his beliefs. I agree with Hayles personal assertions, especially with the support he includes in his essay. Before reading this essay, I could not understand Patchwork Girl, but after reading Hayles’ essay I have come to appreciate Shelley’s creation and have a newfound belief about it.