Response to E-Lit

Our tribe was assigned to study Electronic Literature, and thanks to the Electronic Literature Organization, we have learned that e-lit “refers to works with important literary aspects that take advantage of the capabilities and contexts provided by the stand-alone or networked computer.” A simple definition is literature that is “born-digital.” Electronic literature is not a digitized medium because it was originally created using technology. Examples include stories and poems that are generated through online code, novels that take the form of blogs or emails, and pieces accessible through only touch media such as tablets, smartphones, or other touchscreen devices.

We are nowhere near experts on this, though, so to further our understanding we explored some e-lit and responded to it. For example, Dinty W. Moore's, “Mr. Plimpton’s Revenge.” This is not a typical essay you would read in English class, though; it was created with Google Maps. This style is appropriate because the story is narrated by Moore, who is traveling through time, documenting the locations of his interactions with author George Plimpton.

The intrigue of this piece primarily comes from its composition. The viewer is presented with a list of locations containing points of Moore and Plimpton’s interactions that they use to navigate through the story. Each location on the map introduces another part of the story. It is almost like reading an interactive chapter book. For example, he includes destinations such as the University of Pittsburgh, the Harrisburg Airport, and Manny’s Music Store. Along with entertainment, Moore chose to create this essay to capture the message of his deserved fate; he administered revenge upon himself.

The story begins in Pittsburgh, where Moore, an undergraduate student, is designated to chauffeur Mr. Plimpton to the University of Pittsburgh. Strung out from a long night filled with weed and booze, Moore retrieves Plimpton from the airport in his hunk of junk car. To humiliate himself further, Moore could not even pay for his lunch when they stopped for Chinese food... so guess who paid?

This is only the beginning of a list of many coincidental encounters between Moore and Plimpton, each as uncomfortable for Moore as the first. The story spans several years, and culminates in a final scene of humiliation for Moore. 

The story also takes the reader through many different locations. The use of Google Maps to illustrate this makes it easy for the reader to follow the story's many twists and turns.

 

A thoroughly humorous and entertaining piece, Mr. Plimpton’s Revenge is an excellent introduction to electronic literature.