We live in a digital day and age, where everything has become electronic, even our books. We discussed the five affordances that books grant us, but there are also affordances that electronic literature and media can offer. Janet Murray describes the four essential properties of digital environments in Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace. Murray spoke about digital media being participatory, procedural, spatial, and encyclopedic. Digital media can be also be interactive, as well as immersive.
Moreover, I believe that the affordances of electronic literature can go beyond the affordances granted through physical books. Books are finite and grant us a fixed story, where we can only imagine what has already been presented to us. The participation is limited, because we are given the setting, tone, characteristics, etc. With electronic literature and different digital programs, the participation is endless. Murray gives us the example of the program ELIZA. Although, it initially wasn’t running at top efficiency, it was able to be an interactive story teller that followed the readers imagination and even gave different twists. Programs like this can allow audiences to not only follow a pathway, but also create their own. Growing up, I always wished that I could change the conclusions of different novels. Would slight changes in characters’ decisions result in a completely different outcome? Digital media has now allowed us this opportunity and many more.
Books are both writeable as well as readable, to some extent. We discussed the advantages of marginal spaces and sizes in books. This allows readers to leave notes, comments, and interpretations, but as stated earlier these comments are limited to the finite text already given. With electronic literature this affordance can live up to its full potential. You are able to actually write and read a story that can incorporate your ideas, as well as previously programmed ideas.
Coincidentally, many people feel as if this digital era has caused people to become “lazier” and create “shortcuts”. I disagree, if anything this era has caused many authors to become more innovative. These different media outlets have allowed others to explore an array of creative outcomes to a story that was once very limited. Books have set the foundation for the creation of electronic literature and digital media and the affordances of both platforms are equally advantageous.