5.0498 Rs: Computers in Literature (2/69)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Wed, 4 Dec 1991 18:03:41 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 5, No. 0498. Wednesday, 4 Dec 1991.
(1) Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1991 08:00:04 -0500 (16 lines)
From: rsiemens@epas.utoronto.ca (Ray Siemens)
Subject: Re: 5.0492 N&Q: Volkswriter; Internet; Mac Mail S/W ...
(2) Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1991 08:43 EST (53 lines)
From: Herb Stahlke <00HFSTAHLKE@BSUVAX1.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 5.0492 N&Q: Volkswriter; Internet; Mac Mail S/W ...
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1991 08:00:04 -0500
From: rsiemens@epas.utoronto.ca (Ray Siemens)
Subject: Re: 5.0492 N&Q: Volkswriter; Internet; Mac Mail S/W ... (4/96)
In response to Michael Rodemar's inquiry regarding computers in
literature, an interesting figure to look into might be Kurt Vonnegut
who, according to information in his biography and, I believe, in
_Palm Sunday_, worked with or had contact with an early project to use
computers to analyse literary texts. I also think he wrote a story or
two in which a computer wishes to emote (the basis, as I recall, for a
movie called _Electric Dreams_). Hope this helps, Ray Siemens.
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------62----
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1991 08:43 EST
From: Herb Stahlke <00HFSTAHLKE@BSUVAX1.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 5.0492 N&Q: Volkswriter; Internet; Mac Mail S/W ... (4/96)
>(3) --------------------------------------------------------------24----
>Date: Tue, 3 Dec 91 22:31:26 +0100
>From: nearo01@mailserv.zdv.uni-tuebingen.de (Michael Rodemer)
>Subject: motif of computer in American literature and art
>
>I am interested in doing a dissertation project on the motif of the computer
>in American literature and art, but am having trouble finding primary sources;
>I would prefer to exclude robots and science fiction, limiting the study to
>works which include more-or-less "real world" computers.
>John Updike's "Roger's Version" has been brought to my attention already,
>as have John Barth's "Giles Goat Boy" and Andrew Greeley's "God Game."y?3
>Laurie Anderson mentions computers in her performance "United States." But
>this is about all I have.
>I would be grateful for any assistance Humanist networkers can give.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Michael Rodemer
>Rodemer@mailserv.zdv.uni-tuebingen.de
The scope of Michael Rodemer's request isn't clear. By including
Andrew Greeley, he seems to be including popular culture, but by
excluding robots and science fiction he is excluding some of the major
influences on the computer motif in American culture. Asimov's (and
can you get more popular culture than that) laws of robotics have
become something of a cultural assumption in literature that deals
with robots and, tangentially, with computer behavior. The idea of
the all-knowing computer run amok shows up particularly in novel/films
like _The Forbin Project_ and an Alan Arkin film, whose title escapes
me for the moment, dealing with a city whose computer controls and
makes miserable the character Arkin plays. One can't ignore such sf
delights as John Boyd's _The Rakehells of Heaven_ in which the god of
a world of loosely confederated underground universities is a
computer referred to as "dean" and operated by a janitor named Bobo.
Another major influence on the popular concept of intelligent automata
Lem's writing, including _The Cyberiad_. Granted his work is read in
America in translation from Polish, but the influence crosses such
borders, as is also, and even more obviously, the case with Karl
Capek's work. Once popular culture is admitted to the scope of the
study, and I don't see how it can be left out, sf and robots are
inextricable from the topic.
Herb Stahlke
Professor of English
Associate Director
University Computing Services
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306