[[Begin. ->Begin]]
//for the full experience, please turn your sound on.//It's the beginning of the world. A time to think about the past, what can be different, what can [[change. ->change]]You wake up in the morning. Things seem [[brighter->brighter]]. Yesterday, it seemed as if the world was out to get you. But today, something seems [[too good to be true.->too good to be true]]Getting ready for the day, you
[[brush your teeth.->brush]]
[[cook some food.->cook]]
[[look out the window.->look]]Looking at yourself in the mirror, you can't help but feel like a new person. It doesn't seem like this [[cloud->cloud]] is over you anymore. it feels like the [[sun->sun]] is shining for you.Stepping into the kitchen, you whip up
[[a classic American breakfast.->american]]
[[a smoothie bowl.->hip af]]
Everything seems quiet outside. No protestors, no [[riots->riots]], no one trying to [[invalidate->invalidate]] who you are.Before, it felt like the world was against you. It was always [[dark->dark]]. Almost [[shameful->shameful]] to express who you are.The sun has never seemed brighter, and you haven't even stepped outside yet. There's no more pain, no more tears. Only [[acceptance->accept]].You grab the bacon, the eggs. After frying it all up, you place the [[bacon->bacon]] and [[eggs->eggs]] on the plate.So many colorful ingredients found in the fridge. A myriad of fruits. Blending them all together, you top the bowl with fresh [[berries.->berries]]Can you believe it? A world where you aren't judged for who you are? You [[smile.->smile]]After the election, you had every right to be scared. All of the [[uncertainty->uncertain]] built up.It was hard. Being different in a world that shamefully [[scolded->scold]] you for trying to just be yourself. Is this real life? Checking your phone for updates, you
[[open your texts.->text]]
[[read up on the news.->news]]
[[click on Twitter.->twitter]]No more [[judgement.->judgement]]And for the first time in forever, it feels like you can breathe again.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]You don't even notice that you place it down resembling a [[smile.->baconsmile]] Something's gotten into you today.Those yolks on the fried eggs look so bright. Reminiscent of those [[eyes->eyes]] you love so much. These colorful things reminded you of what you prided yourself on. You prided yourself on who you are, and even though it felt like carrying the world on your shoulders, it was [[worth->worth]] it.What are these [[positive->positive]] subconscious thoughts? Days [[never->never]] begin like this for you.But with this new beginning is a new start, and it feels like things will change for the better.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]Sometimes, it felt like it wouldn't end, that [[nothing->nothing]] would get better.You feel different, though. [[Happier.->happier]][[Warmer.->warmer]]And you can't help but feel love from all around.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]You haven't felt this happy in a long time. This every day routine of hiding yourself starts to get old. When will it ever get any [[better?->better]]But this new beginning is everything.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]But today is the day. The day to write a new story, a new world. A new chance to [[reverse->reverse]] what has once been.And in this perfect world, you are loved. You are accepted. You are allowed to love whomever you choose to, wondering, how hard was it to do this all from the beginning?
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]"omg babe have you heard"
You don't know how to respond.
[["what"->what]]
[["tell me"->tell me]]
[["i'm so lost"->lost]]All over the media, headlines scream [[equality->equality]] and [[acceptance.->accept]]Hashtags of every kind flood your feed, ranging from celebration to some paired with real life photos from others. Was this another social media [[movement->movement]]?Those beautiful eyes. The ones that can stare into your soul [[endlessly->endless]] and make you feel right at [[home.->home]] With that kind of love, you can show it off now prouder than ever. Let the world know that you've found the one. And feel a sense of comfort that hasn't existed before.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]You've always felt at home with them. In the darkness, and now in the light. Things are finally getting better. But you know they'll always be the light in your life.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]"no more scrutiny, no more pain, just love and all types of love"
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]"idk why but everything feels different today"
[["same"->same]]"the stereotypes are gone, the glaring looks are now dead, the world finally understands"
[["understands what?"->understands]]You knew the law was passed, but it never felt like it. And for the first time in a long time, it felt like things were actually on your side.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]"how wonderful it is to be loved by you"
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]"things are finally changing, but one thing is constant: my love for you"
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]You knew in your heart, though, that it wasn't too good to be true, that it was real. And you felt more at ease than ever before.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]All the negativity, the pessimism, was erased away. It wasn't fair, that's for sure, but it definitely started to feel like the pain was worth it, because this made up for it all.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")][[back to the beginning->Beginning]]
[[author's note->author's note]]
beginning of the world // inspired by Anna Anthropy's end of the worldInspired by Anna Anthropy's "End of the World," I really enjoyed the concept that she brought forth about queers in love at the end of the world. With such a small amount of words, I was instantly put in the character's shoes, experiencing the world that they lived in. Not only was it moving, but it was poetic. Bernstein claims that a poem "is a work of art using words," and that "new poems often challenge prior definitions or understandings of poetry" (Bernstein). Anthropy's use of such carefully crafted diction really added a personal element that submerged the reader in the world of the character and brought a new form of a poem forward, where it wasn't just the traditional form of words on a sheet of paper, but rather a piece interactive fiction. From that, I created "Beginning of the World," a wreading and deformance of "End of the World," a version where instead of having the doors close forever on this character and their loved one, they reopen, but with a more hopeful future where these modern day issues don't exist and where queer love is celebrated. Using twine, this piece of interactive fiction (IF) was created with Anthropy's work in mind, as a homage but also fanfiction piece. From this course so far, I've learned so much about electronic literature, and all the forms that literature can come as on the world wide web. The most fascinating thing to me about IF is that it "cannot proceed without input from the user," which is why I think that pieces like these can be so touching and moving (Hayles). Because the user has control, they basically are the character, experiencing it first hand. This deformance and wreading of her work was a great way to "make and remake texts in order to produce meaning after meaning" (Sample). Similar to what Bernstein asks his students to do with "creative responses to assigned readings, including imitations" (Bernstein). With these two concepts in mind, this alternate universe where her characters experience an entirely different life are an example of how her text is remade to produce a different meaning, as well as it being an imitation of her work. I would also consider this as a piece of fanfiction as well, because her piece has "nurtured an environment where authors and readers interact and respond to one another" (Yaktrakis). Many people can relate to this and feel for this, and creating an imitation is a perfect way to interact with her work as well as respond to her in an artistic way. In regards to format, I wanted to keep it simple, just like Anthropy did. However, I inverted the colors of the original to bring forth an element of light and positivity. Music is also an important element that can really set a tone, so inspired by Juliet Escoria's "Into the Woods," I decided to add a musical element to emphasize the way in which the story is heading. There is no time element involved and the story stays static because it allows the reader to envelope themselves in this new beginning. With everything combined, I hope that the reader is able to find themselves in a place where they too feel hopeful for a brighter future, just as the character in the piece finds themselves.
[[works cited->works cited]]
[[back to the beginning->Beginning]]You remember crying, so upset that people in this world were that [[cruel->cruel]]. You aren't any different, why don't people understand that?This silence, though, was a sound you'd never heard before. Others' thoughts always crowded your brain, made you feel lesser. [[Today->today]] was seemingly different.Today, you feel like you are on top of the world. And no one can knock you down. Today was the day that would make all the difference. Love is love, and yours was finally accepted.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]works referenced in author's note
Anna Anthropy's "End of the World"
Charles Bernstein's "Creative Wreading & Aesthetic Judgment"
Juliet Escoria's "Into the Woods"
Katherine Hayles' "Electronic Literature: What is it?"
Mark Sample's "Notes towards a Deformed Humanities"
Christina Yaktrakis' "Fan fiction, fandoms, and literature: or, why to pay attention to fan fiction"
//links listed on English 116B syllabus & alt syllabus//
[[back to the beginning->Beginning]]What's so different about today, you ask yourself. Is it the trees outside? Is it your neighbor? Is it [[you?->you]]You immediately get up and realize that you do feel different. Not [[afraid->afraid]] like usual.This new [[sense->sense]] of confidence [[rushes->rushes]] through you.You stare at the [[picture->picture]] of them. How happy you both look in the picture on your nightstand. You can feel it through your [[veins->veins]]. You can feel it in your heart. What's different is that the world is different. The [[world->world]] wants you to be who you are.Free to be you. Free to love whomever. Free to be happy.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]Such bright smiles. You remember the [[memories->memories]] from that day. The day you had your first [[kiss->kiss]]. People used to stare at you with strange looks, but not anymore. Now, it's the time to create so many more memories to last a lifetime.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]You haven't smiled that wide since. But today, today was something to smile about. To love and be loved, and now to also to be supported.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]This wasn't the temporary happiness anymore. This was the forever kind.
(live: 5s)[(goto: "fin")]