Robert Coover Analyses Hypertext in a Philosophical,

¶ … Robert Coover analyses hypertext in a philosophical, political, and aesthetical context. The printed word, according the author, is not so much in danger of extinction as it is being threatened by new media. Because of the flexibility inherent in hypertext and multi-media, the written word takes on a new form, one that transcends the linearity of traditional print media.

For example, whenever we read a novel or an article in a magazine, the text flows from one sentence to another, pulling the reader from start to finish along predictable, pre-defined lines. There are no tangents except for those that exist within the reader's imagination. Words flow with continuity; in fiction, plot and character are developed.

Furthermore, in traditional print media, the author is in full control of the narrative; when working in hypertext, the reader assumes the driver's seat and can alter the flow of events, the significance of certain characters, the basic tone and structure of the novel. Basically, Coover asserts that hypertext questions and threatens the fundamental principles of the traditional novel. In his article, Coover focuses on the novel as opposed to non-fiction hypertext because of the particularly meaningful changes that could occur especially in that realm.

Hypertext has become for many writers a means to transcend the "tyranny of the line," and the "patriarchal, colonial, canonical, proprietary, hierarchical, and authoritarian values of the past," (1). While Coover's thesis is admirable in its scope and creativity, the title of the piece is misleading because hypertext does not presage the "end of books," but merely offers a new, fun, and interactive alternative to traditional print.

Coover acknowledges that hypertext represents "the next major shift in information technology after the development of the printed book," one that "promises (or threatens) to produce effects on our culture," (23). This is true; the advent of hypertext has transformed the way in which people read online. Clicking on links, however, does not necessarily ruin the flow of text or the continuity expected of a piece of writing.

Unless the reader deliberately wanders off on a tangent, any piece of fiction printed online must contain the basic elements of a story: plot, narrative flow, and character development. Moreover, writers who use hypertext as their chosen media do not sacrifice personal style or tone when they create. Hypertext does not, as Coover suggests, jeopardize traditional narrative elements. The reason why the novel works as an integral piece of fiction is because it follows the logic that the human brain covets. Even epic poetry contains a similar logical flow.

In fact, some poets and authors purposely tamper with or transcend linearity and logic in their writing in print. William Faulkner is but one example of a plethora of novelists that composed works with non-linear narratives. Coover incorrectly assumes that hypertext is the only means by which fiction writers can attain "freedom from the tyranny of the line," (23). Although hypertext does provide "an exciting, provocative if frequently frustrating medium for the creation of narratives," it will never fully replace the reliability of printed text.

Toward the end of the article, Coover admits the weaknesses of hypertext as a narrative media. The hardware and software required are constantly changing and become outdated faster than some people can pen a story. There is not universal standard operating system with which to share the stories with every person who wishes to read them. More important obstacles than the hardware and software are the limitations of hypertext on the narrative itself.

Coover admits that hypertext is "so compelling and confusing as to utterly absorb and neutralize the narrator and exhaust the reader," (last page). Hypertext is wonderful to non-fiction essays or encyclopedia articles that work better when cross-referencing is possible. Classic writers like Shakespeare and Homer can be more easily understood when their online texts are hyperlinked and the footnotes easily accessible. The characters within, say, a Tolstoy novel, can have their names highlighted in case the reader loses track of all the names.

These are some of the more potent applications of hypertext; not what Coover attempted to create with his workshop. Much of Coover's article is based on his experiences running a Brown University writing workshop. The author states that most of his students had a difficult time at first adapting to the new media, because they were so entrenched in the confines of the printed word. It is difficult to break free of such ingrained standards, according to Coover, who politicizes the novel.

For Coover, the novel is limited in scope and does not offer the creative potential that hypertext can provide. However, judging by the relative paucity of hypertext masterpieces of fiction, the novel is certainly not as outmoded as Coover suggests. While printed media does have its limitations, so too does hypertext. In fact, the limitations of the traditional novel are what make good ones so rare and such a delight to read.

For a writer to overcome the boundaries of linear time, to weave plot with subplot and trick the reader into believing certain things about certain characters; to be able to convey emotion through simple diction or syntax: these are what make great writers. Hypertext can be construed easily as a more accessible media for those who are too lazy or not talented enough to produce a stellar novel. The "interactive and polyvocal" aspects of hypertext can indeed be incorporated into print by a talented writer.

On the other hand, anyone can create a labyrinthine plot with clickable images or alternate story endings within the framework of hypertext. Coover's vision of hypertext is that it serves a political function: it takes the power away from the handful of elite writers and places it squarely into the eyes of the masses who read. Readers must participate in hypertext; they do not plop down on the couch with a good book but rather must point and click, strain their eyes, creatively engage the story and its characters.

Writing becomes less.