Electronic Textuality: Semiotics, Cyborgs, and Literature
Electronic Textuality and Its Unique Characteristics
Since the advent of the information society, the modalities of reading and writing have fundamentally changed. The question of reading and writing, a crucial element of European self-consciousness since the development of vocalized alphabetical writing in the eighth century, has re-emerged, bringing with it new questions, paradoxes, and opportunities.
Three Dimensions of Electronic Textuality
When considering electronic textuality, it’s useful to separate three key dimensions:
- The System of Representation of Language: This dimension addresses how language is represented graphically. Systems of representation can be pictographic (like hieroglyphics), alphabetic, or mathematical (such as binary code).
- The Materials Used to Preserve Writing: Historically, writing technologies employed materials like papyrus, stone, or books (for example, the Rosetta Stone). The primary challenge was the preservation of these materials. Today, we use computers, allowing for efficient storage and preservation. Most current works are published online, produced, distributed, and executed by digital machines.
- The Instruments Used for Writing: These have evolved from quill pens and clay tablets to the modern computer. The computer has conflated many aspects of writing: it’s a new system of representation, a receptacle for archiving and preservation, a method of reproduction, and an instrument of writing.
Semiotic Analysis of a “Moms Demand Action” Poster
Semiotics, the study of signs, was founded by the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. Saussure posited that a linguistic sign consists of a relationship between a signified and a signifier, making it a psychological process. A sign can be anything from words, sounds, and images to facial expressions, gestures, and body language. This essay will analyze the “Moms Demand Action” poster using semiotic principles.
Signifier, Signified, and Iconic Signs
A sign comprises two elements: the signifier and the signified. The signifier is the sign’s physical form (the poster itself), and the signified is the meaning expressed (the message the poster conveys). In iconic signs, the signifier and signified closely resemble each other, as is the case with this poster. The poster aims to communicate what is currently prohibited in America versus what *should* be prohibited. It uses symbols like two young girls, representing innocence, along with direct textual messages, to appeal to the viewer’s sensitivity.
Anchorage and Relay
The relationship between text and image can be categorized as “anchorage” or “relay.” Anchorage occurs when the words provide a more specific meaning to the image, guiding the reader to a pre-selected interpretation. Relay, conversely, gives equal status to both image and text, making them complementary in meaning-making.
The poster exhibits a relay relationship. For instance, the phrase “One child is holding something that has been banned in America to protect them” is a syntagmatic combination corresponding to the icon of America (the flag in the background). It complements the image rather than adding extra value.
Denotation and Connotation
The poster has a primarily denotative tone, with a direct and literal message: to ban weapons from schools. However, there are connotative elements, such as the image of the girls and their setting. These elements gain meaning through the accompanying text. Therefore, both denotation and connotation work together in the poster.
Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto and the Role of Women
In “A Cyborg Manifesto,” Donna Haraway argues that social reality is our most important political construction, even describing it as an optical illusion. She contends that until gender is overcome, women will continue to suffer abuse and exploitation. Equal rights are insufficient; Haraway suggests that sex itself is a form of inequality. The solution, she proposes, is the abolition of sex and humanity itself, transforming ourselves into asexual machines.
The Cyborg as a Metaphor
Haraway introduces the cyborg metaphor to challenge essentialist constructions of identity based on biology. She advocates for open, evolving identities, shaped by differences and specificities. She views the cyborg as a creature of fiction that redefines women’s experience in the late 20th century. The cyborg eliminates the traditional division between men and women and represents the “possibility of historical transformation.”
Cyborg Politics and Feminist Empowerment
Haraway critiques the limitations placed on women’s liberties even amidst technological advancements, citing the resurgence of traditionalist conceptions. She identifies “cyborg politics,” linked to oppressive mythologies like scientific progress and male-dominated capitalism, as a contributing factor. However, she also sees technology as a tool for empowerment. Feminists can use technology to control sexuality and identity, ultimately liberating women. This relates to Haraway’s concept of power: to be “one” is to have power, while to be “the other” is to be fragmented. Women, historically considered “the other,” can use technology to challenge this power dynamic.
Humanity vs. Androids in *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*
Philip K. Dick’s novel *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?* explores the theme of defining humanity. The story is set after a devastating war, where the government assigns androids to individuals. These androids lack empathy, a key differentiator from humans. The central question is: what truly distinguishes a human from an android?
Empathy and Emotions
Androids are depicted as incapable of experiencing genuine emotions like love, hate, or pain. They lack a soul; their expressions are programmed responses, not genuine feelings. However, the novel presents ambiguities. At times, androids seem to show concern for one another, challenging Deckard’s (and the reader’s) understanding. Despite this, humanity, particularly Deckard’s capacity for empathy, remains a crucial distinction.
The Limitations of Androids
Androids are cold and calculating, lacking the spontaneity and adaptability of humans. They can process information and mimic human behavior, but their actions are ultimately dictated by programming. Humans, in contrast, can think creatively, react to unexpected situations, and consider consequences. Androids may possess superior physical abilities and intelligence, but they cannot replicate the unique, and sometimes flawed, qualities that define humanity. Even if androids develop emotions, they are still fundamentally different from human emotions.
Katherine Hayles’ Definition of Electronic Literature
Electronic literature is a genre created primarily, but not exclusively, for digital display. Examples include novels structured as chats and transmedia works like *UniVerse*. Katherine Hayles acknowledges the blurred boundaries of electronic literature, highlighting the challenges in defining its limits. It represents a new literary horizon, demanding new reading and interpretive strategies.
Characteristics of Electronic Literature
Electronic literature encompasses a wide range of genres and subgenres. Its reliance on technology means it constantly evolves alongside technological advancements and in response to platform obsolescence. The concept of “self-expansion,” where individuals incorporate aspects of others into their own self, is also relevant. This can be seen as another form of cyborg – two beings sharing a single body, merging flesh and machine. This model suggests that relationships form and deepen as individuals expand their sense of self by incorporating the other. This implies that differences and perceived dissimilarities can be attractive, especially in early relationship stages. Understanding the complexity of electronic literature requires exploring its diverse forms and examples.