Review Series (cont.) & Project 2 Lightening Round #1

We had two more excellent E-lit Reviews last week.  Both pieces were inspired and accomplished, but certainly very different in scope and tone. 

Stephanie Martinez took us through the E-Lit "Little Red Riding Hood", an interactive narrative.   As a provocative re-interpretation of the well known French fairytale, this text invokes an ominous, dark, mysterious, and decidedly adult tone.  With jazzy, contemporary background music, an urban setting, the highly stylized comic imagery of this piece announces itself as a clear "re-working" of a classic.  It challenges the assumptions which stem from reading/knowing this age-old children's tale.  This version seems to unfold in three parts, beginning with a city highrise location.  The second part of the text covers the forest/meadow interlude. Finally the third section of this narrative takes place upon arrival at "Grandma's house".  The text is interactive throughout, the reader is choosing outcomes through a variety of link options.  The reader is forced to seek for hard-to-come-by links which are for the most part hidden.  Stephanie spent a long time methodically hovering on screens in hopes of unearthing other aspects of the reading.  She did discover elements not easily noticed with such effort.  The necessary "active search" for links (that are veiled from reader's immediate access) seems to suggest an emphasis on all things "hidden".  Things are not what they seem.  There is more than meets the eye.  There are dark realities that exist beyond the surface.  ....This is most definitely a psychological piece, charged with frightening twists and uncanny discoveries.  We closed out our class exploration of "Little Red Riding Hood" with the question - would this text qualify as "literature"?  Stephanie answered confidently, "Yes, because it is already written".

Next, Esther guided us all through "Strings", a flash poem which consists of a fluid black line on a white background.  Stark, simple, yet surprisingly provocative, the reader watches eight sequences in which the string bounces/moves/morphs into unfolding words and ideas.  The string visualizes the tensions, the push and pull, and the emotive aspects of writing, of choosing our words.  The string visualizes the experience of relationships.  This piece seems to emphasize for us the malleability of language.  Words are the tools of our communication and they inflect our human experience.    "Strings" picks up on aspects of human behavior, as well as the unique individualistic aspects of our own handwriting. The poem in eight sequences draws our attention to the "humanness" of words themselves, the emotional life that resides in words. We all agreed that this was a remarkable piece, and an extraordinary accomplishment for one night's work (According to Esther, Dan Waber admits to writing the piece in a single night.)

After completing the two reviews from our Review Series, we had some fantastic Project 2 lightening-round presentations.  You all made clear "progress" in this second project, exhibiting a new found agility with the tools of your choice.  You also exhibited a deeper understanding of the e-lit forum, with further exploration of the interactive aspects of reading in each of your projects.  Excellent work to each of you!  I can see the growing potential for the final project, as it has been evolving in what you have been able to do thus far. 


Announcements:

Please make some initial notes/plans for your Final Class Project.  (Final Project deadline and presentation date is Tuesday, May 7th).  In class this week, we will discuss your initial ideas and strategies (software choices, concepts, etc).  Please note:  Our class session of April 30th will be devoted to workshopping/ in-class work on your Final Project. 

-For class this week (April 23rd):

-Our class time will begin with two more reviews -  "Show of Hands" by Rafiqa; and "Galatea" by Maria.  ***Please note Julio - if you can do your review this coming Tuesday night that would be preferable.  If you cannot, then you will do your review on April 30th.

-After reviews, we will then continue with our remaining lightening round presentations of Project 2.  Be prepared to present your Project 2 in class - (5-10 minute overview for the class of what you have created, with your text on the overhead screen). We will hear from all those who were not able to present last Tuesday including - Andria, Rafiqa, Esther, Susan, Kimberley, Julio, Stephanie C., Debbie, and Peter. 

 I am working on securing a "special venue" for our Final Showcase.  I will announce in class more specific information about our Final Showcase (slated for May 7th).

**Please remember that your "official" Review is due (via link on your blog) on Monday, April 29th.  Many of you have presented your E-lit Review in class, but perhaps you might be editing and/or putting some finishing touches on your final write-up.  Even if you are not changing your Review write-up for the April 29th deadline, please post a link to the final version of your Review in your blog this week, so that I may access your Review work easily (without searching your blog archive).  Thanks.