Writing is Changing
Writing today, compared to the ancient Greeks, can be seen as a completely different form of text. It has changed from writing on cave walls, all the way to hypertext on the World Wide Web. In Jay David Bolter’s book, Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print we see writing as a structure in time and space. Readers see a pattern of signs, taking in portions at a glance, sending them on a journey through symbolic space (Bolter). He explains that text is much like musical notes in the way in which we absorb what is being read. This changes as time goes by and technology advances the space. Consider that the medieval codex uses a pattern of rubrication and various sizes of letters. The Codex then moves along to printed book, which is arranged into paragraphed pages. Finally revolutionizing to computers using a pattern of text windows and images on a screen (Bolter 99). When we consider print books versus digital books, we conclude that writing is changing in this digital age creating a form of control when reading. Bolter asks as technology of writing advances, “how and to what extent does the writer control the readers experience of reading” (Bolter 101)? Dialogues can be seen written as linear paths, then slowly become more hypertexual in modern day.
Bolton begins to talk about how to read one must follow along a path from a layout of text. He gives you an idea about the papyrus roll fitting perfectly into this suggested theory. “The papyrus roll gave the readers very few options, as ancient writing was strictly linear” (Bolter 100). According to Alex’s prezi, the papyrus roll was a sheet that could be as long as up to 25 feet long of linear text (Breen). It was written in a style called “boustrophedon,” which the line ran from right to left, bent around, and continued from left to right (Bolter 100). This is a great example of a perfectly linear form of writing. The reader is than forced to journey through symbolic space in one distinct linear path. There are no pages to go ahead or turn back to; it is just one piece of text.
The linear form of dialogue such as the papyrus roll was not always the case. According to Bolter a less linear form of dialogue was actually, “posed in the absence of writing- in purely oral forms of storytelling and poetry” (Bolter 101). These stories or poems do not have a visual structure, but are normally spoken with a linear plot. The control of dialogue is held in the hands of the storyteller, who is “free to deviate from the storyline without fear that a written text will prove him or her wrong” (Bolter 101). He also mentions that the Homeric storyteller may even adjust the story to fit the audience that is listening. Forms of control can be seen more accessible here as the storyteller can adjust and deviate from the storyline. Control is also in the hands of the listener who can either change the story, or leave it the same.
As we move along the timeline of writing we see, “a compromise between oral and written controlling structures” (Bolter 104). These oral and written structures are what we know as speeches and poetry. ”Writers in these genres used structures that could be appreciated in reading aloud or in reading to others who do not have their own texts” (Bolter 104). This was a very interesting form of dialogue, which was similar to “absence of writing” found in storytelling. Although they were similar, there was a new technique used called “ring composition” (Bolter 104). Storytellers would proceed to tell a story and slowly deviate on an interesting detail, and then would inform the audience that he was resuming the original storyline (Bolter 104). These were linear stories with occasional interruptions, which are greatly different to ancient works, which were strictly one way of text.
The linear forms of writing can be seen also when the invention of the codex and the book appeared. “Poets began to offer books of short poems that could be sampled; historians and academics began to write essays on scholarly subjects” (Bolter 104). These books helped the linear structure of text stay alive along with creative narratives. “A scholarly essay should lead the reader step by step through its argument, making clear how each piece of evidence is relevant” (Bolter 105). Either way you look at this the person who wrote this has the control of the text. Although they have no control of a linear story, the reader still has some control. Bolter mentions, “it may in general be harder to hoodwink a reader than a listener, because the reader can stop at anytime, reflect, and refer to a previous section of the text.” (Bolter 102). The reader has more control of the dialogue they are receiving because they are able to go back and re-read, where as if they were listening to a story, once the line has been said there is no going back.
Writing has changed from written form to hypertextual form. Not only has it changed but also we are able to transcribe old dialogues to hypertext. “Texts that were originally written for print or manuscript can be not only transferred to a machine-readable form, but also translated into hypertextual structures” (Bolter 110). This is very helpful for researchers who would like to research past texts using a database. The only problem with this is, “in some cases the translation would refashion texts into form closer to their original, conversational tone” (Bolter 110). Is it worth the change if the contents are being altered? For example Bolter mentions, “they make it easier to read Sophacles, but they change the Sophacles that we read” (Bolter 110). It is basically a win/lose when it comes to ancient texts being transcribed to hypertext. We win because they make it much more convenient and easier to read the texts, but we lose because some of the information is lost or altered.
There may be problems with transcribing old texts to the World Wide Web, but maybe making new essays is helpful through hypertext. Hypertext is a non linear path of writing through the internet which can lead to other texts by the click of a button. “A hypertextual essay in the computer could in fact be fashioned as a dialogue between the writer and her readers” (Bolter 112). This could help dialogues between people through internet without being with each other in person, but they would be with each other through cyber space. “Instead of one linear argument, the hypertext could present many, possibly conflicting arguments” (Bolter 112). Instead of writing an essay in a book with a limit of arguments, it can be helpful to write in hypertext. According to Bolter, hypertext could remediate the voice of text, and suggest the return to oral forms of dialogue (Bolter 112). It is bringing the old forms of writing, dialogue, and essay, together in one form of hypertext. “The success of the World Wide Web derives from the ways in which it borrows from and reforms not only print, but also graphics design, photography, film, and television” (Bolter 113).
Writing is changing and there is no way to stop it. Bolter mentions that we are now learning dialogues in new ways that use hypertext rather than books. “Teachers of writing and reading in particular have been willing to redefine the genres and the practices into which they initiate their students” (Bolter 113). Writing is now being taught through hypertext. For example you can look at what professors make students do for their class. In Alison Hudecek’s blog on Blogger.com you can see class work and homework from an entire semester. She writes arguments through hypertext, and it is open for others to respond and create more arguments (Hudecek). This is proof of Bolter’s point earlier with hypertext creating a less linear argument. The professor for this class has created a, “networked classroom as a means for social or political change, as they combine digital writing with various strategies with cultural critique” (Bolter 114). This is seen in Alison’s blog as other classmates question, argue, or critique her dialogues. The way we write is changing; therefore we are forced to learn how to write differently.
A very simple question that has a very complex answer; What is happening to writing? As we look at Bolter’s views from ancient writing to current hypertext, we see text change slowly but surely. The complex answer to the simple question is that writing is in fact changing. We see it change for the good, and sometimes the change is not so good. It is helpful to be able to access hypertext at any time and space, where it is much more difficult if it was written text in a book. The literature is changing to hypertext; therefore we are forced to learn the new ways of writing. Through Bolter’s work, we are able to notice that text is indeed changing, who knows what will come next.
Works Cited
Bolter, J. David. Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print. 2nd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001. Print.
Breen, Alexander. "Chapter 5: The Electronic Book by Alexander Breen on Prezi." Prezi - The Zooming Presentation Editor. 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. <http://prezi.com/refri2vsrwys/chapter-5-the-electronic-book/>.
Hudecek, Alison. "Raise Your Voice." Web log post. Blogger. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://aliswritingalley.blogspot.com/>.
