A Fundamental Look at Electronic Storytelling: Subverting Expectations on a Procedural Level
Submission Type
Paper
Start Date/Time (EDT)
19-7-2024 10:30 AM
End Date/Time (EDT)
19-7-2024 11:30 AM
Location
Hypertexts & Fictions
Abstract
In a book that explores the fundamental principles of sound storytelling, George Saunders tells us, “A story (any story, every story) makes its meaning at speed, a small structural pulse at a time. We read a bit of text and a set of expectations arises” (11-12). Saunders explains that good storytelling depends on what an author does with those expectations, that “we could understand a story as simply a series of such expectation/resolution moments” (12). It is a universal technique for creating engaging stories: create an expectation, then either meet it or subvert it in an entertaining way.
Some have argued that the illusion of choice offered by games and interactive fiction ultimately detracts from the narrative, disrupting the reader’s attention (Bogost 2017; D’Aloia 2020; Mukherjee 2023). However, the tension between authorship and perceived co-authorship in electronic works of literature offers a unique surface on which the author can create expectations in ways that are not possible in linear works.
In order to demonstrate, this paper presents The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) as an example of electronic literature that creates an expectation in its reader on a procedural level, and then undermines that expectation in a surprising manner. The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) uses what is essentially ‘the trolley problem’—quite possibly the most recognizable archetype we have for difficult choices—as the climax of its narrative, in a medium that is known for offering choice to its reader. The reader is well-primed to feel the need to decide the direction the narrative will take. However, The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) retains its own authorial control. This paper argues this work’s success hinges on its denial of choice, creating a different set of questions and reflections for the reader.
By examining how fundamental principles such as this apply specifically to electronic interactive media, we seek to better understand interactive media’s position on the spectrum of narrative works.
References
Bogost, Ian. “Video Games Are Better Without Stories.” The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/video-games-stories/524148/.
D’Aloia, Adriano. “Against Interactivity. Phenomenological Notes on Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.” Series. International Journal of Tv Serial Narratives, vol. 6, no. 2, Dec. 2020, pp. 21–31. doaj.org, https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-454X/11410.
Mukherjee, Sreya. “The Paradox of Choice in Interactive Fiction: A Critical Analysis of Bandersnatch’s ‘Choose-Your-Own-Adventure’ Structure.” Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, vol. 46, no. 4, Dec. 2023, pp. 102–13.
Saunders, George. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. Random House. 2021.
Recommended Citation
Andriano, Jeremy, "A Fundamental Look at Electronic Storytelling: Subverting Expectations on a Procedural Level" (2024). ELO (un)linked 2024. 10.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/elo2024/hypertextsandfictions/schedule/10
A Fundamental Look at Electronic Storytelling: Subverting Expectations on a Procedural Level
Hypertexts & Fictions
In a book that explores the fundamental principles of sound storytelling, George Saunders tells us, “A story (any story, every story) makes its meaning at speed, a small structural pulse at a time. We read a bit of text and a set of expectations arises” (11-12). Saunders explains that good storytelling depends on what an author does with those expectations, that “we could understand a story as simply a series of such expectation/resolution moments” (12). It is a universal technique for creating engaging stories: create an expectation, then either meet it or subvert it in an entertaining way.
Some have argued that the illusion of choice offered by games and interactive fiction ultimately detracts from the narrative, disrupting the reader’s attention (Bogost 2017; D’Aloia 2020; Mukherjee 2023). However, the tension between authorship and perceived co-authorship in electronic works of literature offers a unique surface on which the author can create expectations in ways that are not possible in linear works.
In order to demonstrate, this paper presents The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) as an example of electronic literature that creates an expectation in its reader on a procedural level, and then undermines that expectation in a surprising manner. The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) uses what is essentially ‘the trolley problem’—quite possibly the most recognizable archetype we have for difficult choices—as the climax of its narrative, in a medium that is known for offering choice to its reader. The reader is well-primed to feel the need to decide the direction the narrative will take. However, The Last of Us (Naughty Dog 2013) retains its own authorial control. This paper argues this work’s success hinges on its denial of choice, creating a different set of questions and reflections for the reader.
By examining how fundamental principles such as this apply specifically to electronic interactive media, we seek to better understand interactive media’s position on the spectrum of narrative works.
References
Bogost, Ian. “Video Games Are Better Without Stories.” The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/video-games-stories/524148/.
D’Aloia, Adriano. “Against Interactivity. Phenomenological Notes on Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.” Series. International Journal of Tv Serial Narratives, vol. 6, no. 2, Dec. 2020, pp. 21–31. doaj.org, https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-454X/11410.
Mukherjee, Sreya. “The Paradox of Choice in Interactive Fiction: A Critical Analysis of Bandersnatch’s ‘Choose-Your-Own-Adventure’ Structure.” Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, vol. 46, no. 4, Dec. 2023, pp. 102–13.
Saunders, George. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. Random House. 2021.
Bio
Jeremy Andriano is an MA candidate in the joint program in Communication and Culture at Toronto Metropolitan University and York University. His research focuses on interactive narrative, electronic literature, procedural authorship, and game studies.