May 6, 2012
MarkBernstein.org
 

Reviewers

I submitted a paper to the Hypertext 2012 Narrative Workshop in the form of a dialogue. This was a bit of a stretch, but you never know. One of the reviewers wrote their review in the form of a dialog, too!

Him: Not all play. Ruskin's definition of the Gothic is a good mechanism through which to reflect on the nature of hypertext fiction. Changefulness, abundance, savageness, the grotesque - who can fail to be moved by the story of hypertext literature, cast as a grand romance!

Us: And the echoes of the Wandering Monsters?

Him: What, one damn monster after another?

Us: We didn't like to say.

Him: It's just a line. Besides who says that hypertext writers shouldn't lay in the stars and reach for the gutter.

Us: You are paraphrasing yourself. Or are we seeing patterns where there are none?

Him: I like patterns!

Us: Patterns upon patterns? Ribs beyond ribs? Structure for structure's sake? What would Derrida say?

Him: That there is nothing outside the cathedral!

Now that’s more like it! (Annotations mine)