Blog the Fourth be with You

This post will be focused on the Monday readings, Jason Nelson's "Evidence of Everything Exploding" and "The Sweet Old Etcetera," comparing and contrasting based on

• media format
• modes of interaction
• coherency 

Media Format

Evidence of Everything Exploding

This work by Jason Nelson is absurdist to say the least. It is reminiscent of a segment on an HBO Family show Crashbox called "Distraction News" albeit, more intense, it is similar in its art style and the fact that it uses sensory overload as creative device. 

Nelson uses video game elements with text as a background in addition to disorienting sounds, punctuated by videos of pictures on a fence...He would have gotten along famously with Shaye Saint John creator Eric Fournier. 

The Sweet Old Etcetera 

In contrast, Alison Clifford's piece is soothing in its use of plucky sounds and calming art as it elucidates one of America's most complex poets. 

Clifford may have been remiss in not including the following poem.

anyone lived in a pretty how town

E. E. Cummings, 1894 - 1962

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

(this was the first Cummings poem I ever read)

Modes of Interaction

Nelson has the reader navigate the work in a video-game-like manner. Clifford has a point-and-click based work. One can say it is like a video game, but not much more is done than pointing and clicking. However, there are times when the reader must find the correct object to click, and the game includes a type of piano formed by the asterisk-flowers.

Coherency

Nelson is ambitious. The work is best appreciated for its technical qualities and the fact it is so absurd. Trying to glean any deep meaning would require another playthrough. The final level, where the player had to stop moving in order to not be killed, was clever, but death in the game is five times as annoying when you hear. "You've been harmed by the game that harms you." Sometimes it's good to play it on mute.

Clifford makes Cummings poetry come to life. By interacting with it the player-reader can enjoy the words as the works of art that they are. 

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Credits

Writing: Ashley Bach

Editing: Chad Kusenko

Images: Laura Soltis

Hyperlinks: Eli Brittingham