The Progressive Dinner Party Restored

Micro Hypertexts

Micro hypertexts are characterized by their small size. This isn’t to say that they aren’t full of interesting content or meaningful connections. On the contrary, hypertext author Deena Larsen argues that micro hypertexts serve to prove that a hypertext is not to be judged solely on its size, but rather on the connections linking content within it. (New River 6 Author’s Note.) The following works within the Progressive Dinner Party match this description, providing users with quick hypertexts that still carry meaning through their structure, links, and storytelling. 

Not all of these works are hypertexts in the traditional sense. While Mountain Rumbles by Deena Larsen carries the style of more classic hypertexts, works such as Light is Silent by Jennifer Ley incorporate interactive imagery to supplement the text. Girl/Birth/Water/Death by Martha Conway is another example, which allows users to make choices using various combinations of buttons displayed beneath the text. Despite these differences, the following works all share common elements such as hypertextual linking, short fragments of text, and user agency with regards to navigation.

Girl/Birth/Water/Death by Martha Conway

Mountain Rumbles by Deena Larsen

LiLy Pond: a poststructural gardening thriller by Jyanni Steffenson

Light is Silent by Jennifer Ley

Cutting Edges or A Web of Women by Ruth Nestvold


 

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