Tuesday, April 20, 2010
An adventure in hyper-textuality
As we didn't get a chance to discuss the Borges short story in class on Monday, I would be interested to hear what you thought of "The Garden of Forking Paths." Did you enjoy the text? What elements of his philosophy made sense to you, or what did you find to be confusing? Borges' story is described as a "hyper-text;" what is the significance of this term in relation to the story? And as usual, feel free to share any other connections you might see.
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I enjoyed the text because it had an exciting plot. The narrator was trying to escape the Captain and needed to send a message so he had to murder Albert to indicate the city Albert. As much as I enjoyed it, it was a difficult story to follow. I understand (as much as can be understood) the concept of people being in multiple worlds after seeing a scene from the Sliding Door film. I find it most confusing because the story changes its time frame quite often.
ReplyDeleteI think this story is a hypertext because the narrator and Albert are discussing another text. This text discusses the multiplicity of life, so it is quite possible at that moment they are existing in different worlds that will produce different outcomes. Albert says how in one I am your friend and another I am your enemy. The narrator responds to this by saying I am your friend but then he shoots him. This seems to me to be an example of exactly what the text in the story was talking about so it is really a text within a text. It is a never-ending, confusing cycle that is quite mindboggling.
I thought that Borges’ short story”The Garden of the Forking Paths” was really interesting. I had read some of Borges work in Spanish during my senior year of high school and recognized the recurring theme of labyrinths, but felt like he took it to a completely new level this time.
ReplyDeleteIn Borges story, El Laberinto, there was a king who thought that he could be more mysterious and powerful than God and made a labyrinth to prove it. He placed a man inside, but, after praying to God, the man was able to escape the labyrinth. To get his revenge, the man abandons the king in the desert, which he calls God’s labyrinth. There are no walls, no tricks, just endless sand that you can never escape from. In “Garden of the Forking Paths” Borges again presented a labyrinth that has no walls and one that man can never escape from: life.
“Garden of the Forking Paths” talked about how every choice that man had to make could go two ways and that each way would create a different outcome. In the story, Tsun was the grandchild of a man who created this theory and he met with a Dr to discuss the book his grandfather had written. The choice made in the story was for Tsun to be a spy for the German forces, which brought him as an enemy to the Dr’s home, instead of a friend seeking knowledge. Tsun kills the Dr because it furthers his cause, an event that most likely would not have happened if he had not been a German spy.
All of these choices that man can make created a labyrinth out of his life. Going left or right in a labyrinth will create a different outcome, just as choosing one thing over another creates a different outcome. Or sometimes, not matter what decision man makes, he ends up in the same place. This idea has been expanded on in both books and film, for example, in the film “The Butterfly Effect” Ashton Kutcher is allowed to return to the past in order to attempt to change the future. However, the changes he makes do not always have the intended effect.
Borges’ story is referred to as a hyper-text because it is a story about a text, and the story explains the text in its plot items. The story of Tsun killing the Dr, something that only happened because of his involvement with the German army, shows how choices seemingly unrelated effect each other. Tsun used the ideas put forth by his grandfather to decide to kill the Dr because his name, Albert, was important to his cause. Borges used the plot to explain the ideas put forth in the imaginary text in his story.
I thought the text was rather hard to read because as a detective story it required us, the audience, to gather clues and solve the puzzles in order to understand the way he described how time branched out. The philosophy of time was not to clear to me because I didn’t understand how it operated in the labyrinth that consisted of infinite possibilities. The only concept that I got was that it was of a puzzle or game-like quality and of the real; that it had literal and symbolic labyrinths. Other than that the story went over the top of my head. Furthermore, the significance of a hypertext in relation to the story is that it is an easier way to read it rather than scrolling through a whole traditional text document online, where a reader can tend to get overwhelmed and continuously lose their place. This is because each hypertext could take the reader directly down a path to a different part of the story.
ReplyDeleteJorge Luis Borges’ short story “The Garden of the Forking Paths” was an exciting read. The plot was centered on a spy who is attempting to find information about a German bomb raid. Throughout the story Borges gives the reader certain clues that gives the story a detective like feel. This may be why his work has been called a literary puzzle. This style of writing also made this story more difficult to read. His literature gives the reader room to interpret the situation and its possibilities. Every choice the main character makes has a very different outcome and Borges wants the reader to be very aware of this. Borges’ story is described as "hyper-text” because it doesn’t follow any linear pattern. The story itself is about a text. Borges intertwines the plot and the story itself to bring forth a totally new concept.
ReplyDeleteI thought Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “The Garden of the Forking Paths” was a bit of a confusing text to read. It was difficult for me to understand the concept of all the different world’s people were living in, however, I enjoyed the fact that it was a type of detective story in which the reader must put together clues. The fact that the narrator had to communicate a message to his German commanders brought a problem when he found out he was about to be captured or even killed. It created great suspense for me when he was trying to figure out how to communicate this and it kept me hooked. I believe this story is referred to as a “hypertext” because this story is describing a different text. It truly is a labyrinth or maze that leads you down so many different paths and creates so many different possibilities that you don’t really understand what is actually happening.
ReplyDeleteOne of the first things that came to mind when reading this story were those “choose your own adventure” books that I used to love. In these books, the reader, also the main character of the story, chooses what decisions to make throughout. Like this story, it is never too late to turn back and try again. These novels, like that described in The Garden of Forking Paths, can be read in multiple ways. You don’t have to pick just one way or another.
ReplyDeleteThis is also a lot like hyperlinks on a website. You may click on something, but you are not locked into your decision. It is almost as if the story offers that “go back” button. It made me think of the concept of parallel universes (which I have to admit I learned about on the show So Weird). It’s as if different possible paths of existence run their courses simultaneously.
I found The Garden of The Forking Paths enjoyable to read. Although certain parts confused me, the outcome of the story was very thought-provoking and unique to what we have read previously. I found the concept of alternate realities to be very compelling. Certainly Borges crafted the story in a mysterious way in order for the revelation that the labyrinth was in fact the book itself to entice the reader. Furthermore he was able to work this concept into the story as well, making it a "hyper text." Pen's labyrinth explored the fact that instead of each event having only one linear outcome, each event could have multiple outcomes that branch off in a series of infinite outcomes. In the story the main character, Tsun, shoots the sinologist, Albert. It appears to be a completely random event, but in reality it is because the sinologist has the same name as that of the location Tsun was tying to reveal to Germany. Directly previous to be shot, the sinologist points out that in one world he could be Tsun's friend, but in another he could be an enemy. This highlights the fact the Tsun's action when shooting him in fact related to the concept of multiple realities. The existence of multiple realities, I think, is something that is very compelling to people. The fact that our lives can in many ways be summed up based on the addition of many random events makes us often wonder how our lives would be different if one little event was changed. Certain arguments in philosophy point out that people really have no free will, because everything they do is simply a result of previous events they have no control over. One has to wonder if this is really true?
ReplyDeleteI liked reading a different type of text like Borges’ ‘The Garden of Forking Paths’ because we’ve never really read a detective story or mystery. This text really is indeed a labyrinth of alternative possibilities for the main character. I liked the fact that the main character always seemed to be “on the run” which kept the story at a fast moving pace. I enjoyed reading this text and really liked the way the author decided to define what the forking paths purpose was. These paths or alternatives are able to be utilized simultaneously compared to most fictional stories where the main character chooses one path and goes with it while eliminating the others. Another element of philosophy that I was able to pick up on was how Ts’ui Pen wanted the reader to perceive time as not on absolute thing but an infinite number of times happening at once that diverge, converge, and parallel one another. I was confused in the end why the main character decided to shoot Albert. I was unsure what the author was trying to tell the reader by having this murder conclude the story. A hyper text means a story within a story or other literary works and texts within a story. This story is a hyper text because its not just one set story but its plot is about a text that relates to history which allows it to be a story within a text.
ReplyDeleteThe Garden of Forking Paths made clear why Borges was considered a postmodernist. The themes and philosophies in this text are very different from many that we have already read. The philosophy of the "multiverse" is surreal and intriguing. Borges weaves this theme throughout the story using his characters, and the surprising twists of the story to emanate this idea.
ReplyDeleteBorges seems to suggest an interpretation of the universe through this text. This idea of "forking paths" and other universes was discussed among some of the most revered scientists of the time as a possible explanation for what was observed at the quantum level. The multiple universe philosophy is unique and hard to grasp, and did not become highly regarded as a plausible theory until more recent times.
This story may be considered a hyper text because, like Borges' philosophy on multiple universes, there could be multiple interpretations of this story. Also, this text is like using a microscope on the 40x objective, then the 100x, to the 1000x magnification, it can be viewed at different levels and each may be uniquely perceived (I couldn't help the science analogies, sorry.) For example, the idea of the labyrinth really being within a book, and Borges own text seems to be a labyrinth in the surprising, path the story takes.
Overall, this story was enjoyable because it rattles the "comfortable" readers brain, and offers a totally different view of the world... or "worlds."
I rather enjoyed reading Borges short story. At the beginning the reader is able to conclude the likely outcome for the story’s protagonist, capture or death by Captain Richard Madden. As you read further you begin to become confused by the story questioning its motive and if it is simply to discuss the events of this historical period. While Yu Tsun wanders to Dr. Albert’s house he believes it reflects a labyrinth. When you reach the center of a labyrinth you are to discover something of great importance or an answer to unknown mystery. This is exactly what Tsun discovers. Dr. Albert proceeds to inform Tsun about his ancestor Ts’ui Pen’s Labyrinth, and its attempt to present time as not simply one reality but many, each with separate possible outcomes. These outcomes may intersect at times but are infinite. Finally, after this is known he kills Dr. Albert and writes that the ‘the rest is unreal, insignificant.’ Thus the point to the short story is not what happened here in this history but moreover to open the readers mind to the infinite possibilities of different worlds which may intertwine along time. This idea I believe interesting and quite possible, putting Gorges much ahead of his time.
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ReplyDeleteBorges' 'The Garden of Forking Paths' is quite difficult to read, as a result of his use of a nonlinear plot. More specifically, his use of alternate realities creates a great deal of confusion, while simultaneously being extremely intriguing in terms of a mystery. He ultimately appears to be commenting on the oftentimes random nature of the world around us; how big and small events can result in vastly different futures depending on how they play out. He also seems to be exploring the nature of time itself, whether it is a concrete element of the universe or rather a construction of man and therefore meaningless. He is exploring ideas which modern scientists have further developed on with examinations of the random nature subatomic particles and 'multi-verse' hypotheses. Borges' tale illustrates an intriguing point about reality itself, that there is a very small line between what is real and what is not, and even then it is often difficult to discern where that line exists.
ReplyDeleteBorges's story "The Garden of Forking Paths" is one that interests me greatly. It's incredible how he seamlessly intertwines the story that he is writing with the story mentioned in the text. At the start it's clear that the narrator is going to either escape or be caught and killed. However, when he shows up at Albert's house, or rather the labyrinth that leads to it, the story takes a philosophical turn. He begins to think about his ancestor and his never-ending maze. When he arrives at Albert's house, not only does he know about his ancestor, but he's an expert on him and his philosophy. That philosophy was that existence and the universe is itself like a labyrinth. There are infinite paths based on life's many decisions and actions that branch out indefinitely, with all paths existing together in time, but not in space. The first time I read this, it shocked me that he proceeded to kill Albert, but it makes perfect sense because he needed to kill Albert all along to relay a message. It's confusing to think about how on a different path they may have been friends or he may not have needed to kill him. Perhaps on another path he wouldn't have been caught and could have escaped with the newfound knowledge of his ancestor's labyrinth and without Albert needing to die.
ReplyDeleteI read this story at another university in a freshman literature class and I have to say that I didn't appreciate Borges' writing as much then as I did when reading it again this time. In fact I didn't like it much at all. Perhaps I have a better perspective reading it the second time. While I do not ascribe in a literal sense to the fact that in every choice I make a complete reality and universe is created, I do believe that a series of small choices can alter the paths in someone's life in huge ways. It is interesting to think about how life would be different if I never decided to transfer to UConn, and went to Northeastern instead. I wouldn't be here right now writing this response, and I may not be majoring in what I am. I wouldn't be dating my girlfriend, and many other things would have changed in my life.
ReplyDeleteBorges' writing reminds me of Lost where people flip back and forth through time in some parts, or that show Flash Forward where everyone sees a possible future, and knowing that future changes things. So if we could see all of our possible futures laid out before us would we end up at a different destination than if we had no idea? Or would trying to avoid certain things, while others are doing the same.. lead us to the final destination we were already predestined to go to. It's sure neat to think about.
In all honesty, I haven't found many texts in this class enjoyable. "The Garden of Forking Paths", however, intrigued me. Like some of my other classmates have noted, we haven't really read any spy stories or mysteries. I am a big fan of fast-paced stories that keep me interested throughout with the use of suspense. Not to be morbid, but I especially liked the concept of Tsun killing someone named Albert in order to deliver the necessary information. I was sort of upset, though, that Tsun had to kill the guy after he had been so helpful in interpreting the Ts'ui Pen's novel.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find it as difficult to understand as I did other texts, mostly because I read a summary about it online before trying to comprehend the actual reading. For this reason, the elements of Borges' philosophy actually made sense to me. I think the idea is that people are presented with different possibilities, different paths, simultaneously. Each path leads to a different way, a different future, however, it is possible that different paths will still converge eventually.
I may have missed something, but I found “The Garden of Forking Paths” fairly straightforward. The philosophy at the heart of the story within the story was that every choice in life presents a crossroad. This fork in the road leads to another fork, branching out into an infinitely large and incomprehensible network of possible paths. Any given point in history is the result of taking a certain amount of forks and is only one in an infinitely large series of possible outcomes. The story takes this notion and makes the almost laughably strange series of coincidences (i.e. that a Irish agent working for the UK was chasing a Chinese agent of Germany) comprehensible and understandable. Hyper-text, unless another meaning unknown to me is attached to it, refers to links on a webpage to another webpage. The result of these, Wikipedia is a good example, is that there are an inconceivable amount of outcomes to any single search. There is a game where you click “random page” on Wikipedia and see how few Hyper-text links you need to click on to get to Adolf Hitler’s page. Starting with a page like “Calvin and Hobbes” and ending with Hitler is somewhat reflective of the plot in “the Garden of Forking Paths; the outcome may seem unlikely, but given an infinite amount of connections and paths any single event can create, any outcome is possible.
ReplyDeleteGrace Mellor
ReplyDeleteI found Borges text very confusing to read and extremely hard to follow the sequence of events. For me, reading it the first time wasn't enjoyable because I couldn't understand the plot at all. The hyper text was confusing to say the least, but after realizing what the story was all about I found the idea of hypertextuality extremely interesting. The idea of infinite possibilities can be a hard to idea to wrap one's head around but it is intrigue how a readers brain is is trained to expect a linear cause and effect story. However, the ending was not what a expected but it made me want to read the story again to trace the events and take a look further at the philosophical idea of infinite realities.
I I thought this was an interesting philosophy that was brought up in the text. The idea of multiple worlds taking off from what we do as well as what we don't do. I used to think about this when I was younger. I would think about what would have happened if i didn't do some of the things that I did. This reminds me of something that I saw on the History channel recently about antimatter and parallel universes. They used a anti-hydrogen atom that collided into a regular hydrogen. It had left an unaccounted for mass missing so they thought that it got sent to a parallel dimension. I think that it would be neat if this was sent to one of the forking path routes that we aren't on.
ReplyDeleteI found this text to be particularly interesting in the way that it is very "out there". Borges' use of the "meta-textual" device is something that I've rarely encountered elsewhere, which is understandable because it can be extremely difficult to comprehend. That being said, I think its obviously very well written not only in conveying the narrative in an understandable yet unconventional way, but I also think that Borges does a fantastic job describing his "multiverse" or parallel universe theory. I think a lot of authors make the mistake of trying to implement such abstract ideas without going into full detail what their significance is. This can create a difficult task for the reader in trying to figure out just how it fits into the story.
ReplyDeleteI think hyper-text refers to the way in which the "main text", or the one that we are reading, is directly linked to a text from the past. It could also refer to the way in which it talks about how our lives are like a series of forking paths, wherein one decision leads to a new set of decisions and so forth. In this way we are linked to all other possible decisions, as we are told by Dr. Albert near the end of the story.