Hayles Network Art
February 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm | Posted in Lightness | Leave a commentTags: Unit Operations
N. Katherine Hayles in her book, Electronic Literature discusses many different examples of how electronic literature is important and helpful to literature today. One example she uses that relates to Calvino’s views on lightness is that of creative imagination by Ian Bogost. Creative imagination of the human writer and the constraints and possibilities of software is the topic of Ian Bogost’s Unit Operations. He develops an extended analogy between the unit operations of object oriented programming and a literary approach that explores the open flexible and reconfigurable systems that emerge from the relations between units. Bogost’s approach suggests that taking programming languages and practices into account can open productive approaches to electronic literature.
This e-lit example connects with Nanette Wylde’s Storyland because both discuss literature that uses open flexibility and reconfigurable systems using the creative imagination of the writer while showing the endless possibilities of the software in Wylde’s new stories. Each example of electronic literature portrays the imaginative side of writing while showing the relations between units. In Storyland, even though each story is never identical, there is a definite relationship between certain words that are continually used. Bogost describes how electronic literature works emphasize their connection with print texts. In addition, both authors portray lightness of language by using imagination and the flexibility of writing.
E-Lit Example
February 18, 2009 at 8:24 pm | Posted in Lightness | Leave a commentTags: Storyland
The Electronic Literature example that best fits my analogy, emblem, and ideas on lightness is one called Storyland by Nanette Wylde. This E-lit example relates to Calvino’s ideals because it portrays his idea that meaning is conveyed through verbal texts that seem weightless and there certainly is a flexibility to the story. Storyland is a random narrative created to play with social stereotypes and elements of popular culture. Since each sentence is constructed from a variety of possibilities, allowing each reader a unique story, it relates to Calvino’s idea of weightlessness and flexibility. The reader presses the “new story” button, and a story is created at that exact moment and then it is very unlikely for any two stories to be identical. The flexibility of these stories is what makes it so like the ideas of lightness portrayed in my emblem and analogies because the light weight of the changing stories is just like that of wood floating on water or an individual water skiing. Also, since each story is never exactly the same, this E-lit relates to how each mass of wood is never the same nor is the way it floats. Even the process of water skiing can never be identical since each person has different abilities and weight.
To further explore this E-lit idea and make your own observations click here.
Analogy of Lightness
February 18, 2009 at 8:03 pm | Posted in Lightness | Leave a commentTags: Water Skiing
Water skiing is a sport where an individual (or more than one individual) is pulled behind a motor boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water wearing one or more skis. The surface area of the skis keeps the person skimming on the surface of the water allowing the skier to stand upright while holding the tow rope. Water skiing usually begins with a deep water start where the skier crouches down in the water with knees bent, arms straight, while leaning back with the ski tips pointing up. The ski rope should be between the skis or if using one ski, on either side of the ski. When the skier is ready, the driver gives the boat the required amount of force to pull the skier out of the water. The key to getting up is patiently staying in the crouched position, letting the boat create enough force against the ski to pull you out of the water. Common mistakes are trying to stand up too early and breaking the chair, straight backed, bent knees position.
Waterskiing is a process that exemplifies the action of lightness described by Calvino since it also uses weight and lightness to perform. In fact, lightness is what makes water skiing possible. In order to water ski one must be aware that lightness of their body in water allows them to pop out of the water while being pulled by the motor boat. In addition, allowing the boat to do all the work is what enables one to water ski by making their body weightless while being pulled out of the water by the power of the boat. Calvino discusses that lightness tries to give language the weight, density, and concreteness of things, bodies, and sensations which relates to the idea of water skiing.
Emblem of Lightness
February 18, 2009 at 7:46 pm | Posted in Lightness | Leave a commentTags: Wood on Water
At any depth in a fluid there is an upward force due to the effect of gravity on the fluid. This results in a pressure applied over an area. If the density of an object in the fluid is greater than the density of the fluid, the object will sink. If the density is less than that of the fluid, the object will float upward due to the buoyancy from the fluid. An object of lower density will float to the top and only be submerged by an amount according to the ratio of the densities. Since the density of wood is less than that of water, the wood will float due to the buoyancy from the water. Buoyancy is what makes a piece of wood float in water.
In imitation of Calvino’s emblem on lightness, how wood floats on water represents a simple symbol that sums up this memo. Since a unit volume of wood has less mass and weight than the same unit volume of water, objects sink into the water until they take the place of a volume of water equal to their own weight. If the entire object displaces a volume of water which weighs less than the object (a stone or a lead weight, for example) the object will sink. Wood is made of dead plant cells and contains many open spaces. This is why it is so relatively light when it is dry. Wood that is wet will float but not as high as wood that is dry would. This is because the spaces in the wood are filled with water and the wood is heavier or more dense. Even so, the material of which the cells are made is still lighter than water and so wood floats even when wet.
Since Calvino mentions that there is an opposition between lightness and weight, wood is a good example of such. Wood floating on water exemplifies lightness compared to weight since the mass of the wood determines if it will float on water.
Intro to Lightness
February 17, 2009 at 10:20 pm | Posted in Lightness | Leave a commentTags: Lightness to weight
Calvino explores several definitions for lightness including “a lightening of language whereby meaning is conveyed through a verbal texture that seems weightless. Lightness is a value rather than a defect according to Calvino and he uses an analogy from the Greek myth of Medusa to describe lightness. Calvino’s main focus is that “to cut off Medusa’s head without being turned into stone, Perseus supports himself on the very lightness of things.” Lightness in many cases is also something arising from the writing itself, coming from the poet’s own linguistic power. Also, Calvino strongly believes that lightness goes with precision and determination, not with vagueness and the haphazard. He states “one should be light like a bird and not like a feather” which seems very logically when exploring Calvino’s ideas on lightness.
Calvino discusses lightness in three different senses. The first is that there is a lightening of language whereby meaning is conveyed through a verbal texture that seems weightless. The second is that there is the narration of a train of thought or psychological process that is subtle and imperceptible. The last is that there is a visual image of lightness that acquires emblematic value, because some literary inventions are impressed on our memories by their verbal implications rather than by their actual words.
Lightness can be best described in relation to its opposite, weight. Calvino claims that the lightness of language cannot be appreciated without an understanding of its weight and that the search for lightness is a reaction to the weight of living.
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