Some of these issues can also be seen with The Stanley Parable. It is an interactive one-player game where one needs to either follow the instructions given by the narrator or not follow them and play through the nineteen different endings. Although this game delves into very existential topics like freedom, bravery, and power, its purpose is also very definite, which is to entertain the audience by playing through the game. The game is able to employ specialized language by using the narrator’s voice. For example, in the Freedom ending one can hear the narrator saying, “Now the monitors jump to life. Their true nature revealed… The lives of so many individuals reduced to images on a screen and Stanley one of them … where freedom meant nothing.” …show more content…
Like, Genres of discourse and the definition of literature, written by Gerard Steen, which suggests that literature “… is characterized by the domain value ‘artistic,’ the content value ‘fictional,’ and the functional value ‘positively affective,’ or simply ‘divertive’” (115). Describing literature as fictional work is the only fitting part of the definition because everything else simply does not work. For example, having the domain value be one of the arts needs to be excluded because defining literature is a task in itself. Adding another controversial term, like art, weakens the definition. Furthermore, needing literature to be positively affective, or in other words, elicit a positive emotional reaction from the reader, is not appropriate. This is due to the fact that, on occasion, a book does not draw a positive reaction in the reader. In some instances, a book is simply read to entertain the audience, without them experiencing happiness, joy, or amusement. For example, many people would agree that upon reading through the famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy in Hamlet, one did not experience happiness nor pleasure, yet this does not lessen the fact that the play is considered literature. Finally, reading through Their Eyes Were Watching God and the life full of heartache and obstacles the protagonist, Janie, lived through, one also does not experience any remote feeling of delight nor enjoyment. People did not finish the book feeling pleased knowing Janie ended up killing the love of her life, and then, return to the same town she ran away from, which most likely reminds her of the hell she lived with her first husband. As a consequence, the definition proposed by Steen would fail to describe with accuracy what literature
Literature is an essential part of the center of a person’s life. It provides a certain assurance and “feeds the soul” of one. Whether it be a book, TV, or even an advertisement, literature exists everywhere. A person is able to develop many skills by studying literature, and expand the horizon of their learning. An immeasurable amount of insight and knowledge can be gained from the study of literature which contributes in providing readers with an understanding of the past, and a philosophical assimilation of the moral behind a writing piece.
Literature, the dictionary defines it being the art of written works that is simultaneously designed to entertain, educate and instruct its audience; writers, using their skill of telling stories, use literature in an attempt to transfer their ideas from paper to the reader; for some, this task means bringing their story to a different place and time that is entirely separate from what the could be perceive as ordinary, on order to serve the writer’s intent. With this, the impossible, becomes the probable, and the worst fear imagined becomes the breathed reality; with no separation between the truth, and fiction. The word “literature” in itself cannot be accurately defined, and by attempting to do so, it limits the word not only in its
Dr. Ralph Edmond Stanley, a well known American Bluegrass artist, was born February 25, 1927, in Big Spraddle Creek, Virginia. He just recently passed away last year on June 23, 2016. During those 89 years of life, Mr. Stanley sure made a name for himself to be remembered for many years after he was gone. There were two things that made him stand out from many of the bluegrass artists. Those things were his original voice and his unique way of picking the banjo. Mr. Stanleys mother bought him his first banjo for five dollars when he was around 15 or 16. His mother taught him to play clawhammer style on the banjo and later in life he developed his own style from this strumming style. After graduation from high school in May of 1945, he went into the Army for about a year. The day he came home from the war, Carter, his Brother, and his father picked him up and later that night he made an appearance on the radio singing
There are many perspectives and definitions on art, an abstract topic. In the world of books, nothing is considered art unless the novel can engage the readers through the author's use of emotions and stylistic syntax. Using Groen's essay “Books Still Win” tragic realism is seen in Joshua Ferris' novel “Then We Came to the End.” Tragic realism is evident in Ferris' novel through the fact there is both good and bad within a person, that life improves with struggles and that sadness is always evident.
Tom Bissell, in his essay, “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” has described video games and how they are unique and different from movies, books, or even interactive films. Bissell says “I came to accept that games were incompetent with almost every aspect of what I would call traditional narrative.” This is showing the readers that even though there is a plot and story line, as characters can control and alter the story line or outcome by what you do or see throughout the game.
Literature has shaped civilizations, politics, exposed injustice and has allowed people to connect with aspirations and emotions. It gives people insight into the minds of other individuals and or a detailed preview of human experiences. If we pay no attention to literature we might not be able to question some of our most important beliefs, examine our lives and give them deeper meanings. In the essay “The Dark Night of the Soul” by Richard Miller, he says “ I have doubt, you see, doubts silently shared by many who spend their days teaching others the literary arts. Forever fall on deaf ears, what might the literature arts be said to be good for?” (239). I can see that he has become concerned about how others see literature in modern time.
In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,” by D.H. Lawrence, the literary nature is evident early on in the story. Literary fiction does not have a likeable main character or protagonist; in the story one doesn’t know who the main character is and of the choices none are likable. All of the brothers in the story make fun of the sister so one wouldn’t like any of those choices, even with the sister she has no obvious characteristics nor does she perform any actions for her to be considered likeable “She would have been good-looking, save for the impressive fixity of her fact, “bull-dog,” as her brothers called it.” (Lawrence 507) Literary fiction also does not have a clear theme or purpose; the story doesn’t have any lesson to be taught or point to be drawn, however it is simply telling a story. Literary fiction leads the audience to do the thinking for themselves, nothing is clear cut or obvious. The ending of the story leaves one confused and gives one the option to choose what ending the story has “But she only sobbed terribly, and cried: “I feel awful. I feel awful. I feel I’m horrible to you.” “No, I want you, I want you,” was all he answered, blindly with that terrible intonation which frightened her almost more than her horror lest he should not want her.”(Lawrence 517) The story also attempts to elicit feelings about content in the story; that is a strong point that literary
Literature is such a beautiful thing because it does not give us an answer to it's questions. There are so many iffy spots that leave us to develop our own thoughts and feelings toward the piece of work. This is an interesting factor because at many times it affects us in a different way and can develop us as an individual. When reading a piece of literature, one person can interpret it in different ways than another person reading the same piece of work. I remember analyzing poems with my English class in the previous years and when we were asked to interpret it, we all had different answers. Sometimes what I got out of the poem didnt even go close to the direction that my classmate
In the words of one critic, superior works of literature should invoke a healthy confusion of pleasure and disquietude. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘pleasure’ as “joyful amusement”, while 'disquietude’ is defined as “anxiety”. Although these words seem to oppose each other, they both occur in frequently and simultaneously in every person’s life. Emotions caused by people and circumstances in one’s life allow these feelings of pleasure and disquietude to overlap. Similarly, an inclusion of both elements in a literary work result in this feeling of “healthy confusion” for the reader. A lot of novels entertain the reader with
As the era of literature slowly declines, the expert critiques and praise for literature are lost. Previously, novels were bursting at the seams with metaphors, symbolism, and themes. In current times, “novels” are simply short stories that have been elaborated on with basic plot elements that attempt to make the story more interesting. Instead of having expert critical analysis written about them, they will, most likely, never see that, as recent novels have nothing to analyze. Even books are beginning to collect dust, hidden away and forgotten, attributing to the rise of companies such as Spark Notes. An author deserves to have his work praised, no matter how meager and the masses should have the right to embrace it or to reject it. As
The Stanley Parable challenges the way one would typically view a game, specifically a narrative video game. A game can be defined as a medium where communication takes place and where the player attempts to make sense of their position in the game. The Stanley Parable clearly falls into the definition of a game, but what makes it different is that the game is aware of itself and is aiming to challenge the audience and the traditional view on the construction of a narrative game as well as why people play games.
Literature comes in all sizes. Literature doesn’t focus on a specific genre; it can be about anything from war, to violence, to race. Literature is made up of different histories from different eras with different writing styles. Literature is made of meaning and hidden messages. When you read literature, you will know it is literature because it’s about human experience. You have to read between the lines to decide what the hidden meaning is. Literature doesn’t explicitly tell us, instead uses our senses to reveal meaning. Literature deepens our thoughts. Literature evokes emotion, making us feel happy or sad about a specific event. We may feel sympathy for the characters. Literature really makes you feel like you’re actually in the
Our cohort is nearing the end of its secondary education and therefore it is important that we reflect on the ways in which it has shaped our attitudes, values and beliefs. For example, over the past five years, we have read, analysed and evaluated various literary works such as novels, plays, poems and films in our English studies. These texts have expressed various ideologies, explored interesting themes and introduced us to fascinating characters. These elements have left a lasting impression on our attitudes, values and beliefs. In addition to this, English literary texts have provided us with historical knowledge as well as a thorough understanding of the role that aesthetic devices
This essay’s analysis will focus on the element of control that hypertexts possess. I’m going to be looking at how the features of the hypertext are affected by control, and in turn, how this influences the reader’s decisions. The hypertext narrative I have chosen to analyse a game called The Stanley Parable; written by Davey Wreden. The game involves you playing as a man named Stanley who one day believes all his co-workers are gone. It is narrated by a voice-over who gives you instructions on what path to take. I’ve chosen this as it deals with hypertext control in an intriguing way; as well as following the narrator’s instructions, you can also defy them. For example, when you come to a set of two doors the narrator
Indeed, the best works of literature are those which are of relevance to our lives today. Through their relevance, these novels continue to persist and endure on. Through their relevance, we can better comprehend the messages, the themes, and the ideas that are imbued in them. Rather than literature being contradictory and in conflict with the truth and unpleasant reality of daily life, it becomes a weapon through which we can be educated about the existential crises facing our world today. In fact, the statement above could not be more far and distant from the reality of literature today. It is fatally flawed. Literature, whilst at the surface, seems whimsical and amusing is, at its very core, a medium through which we are enlightened