The stories involved in Afternoon seem shuffled and re-shuffled and the same paragraphs are even embedded in different pages and seemingly different naration lines. There seem to be numerous narrators and I am at times unsure as to the narrator’s gender which can become confusing at times. However, generally the story involves many memories and charactors. Although at times I am unable to assess which character belongs to what purpose or description. Perhaps I jumped about too much ;). Regardless, My inevitable conclusions seem similar to my classmates experiences so, I am assuming that the information stays relatively the same. I got trapped in cycles several times, rereading the same path over and over. Though, I was able to link out of it once I figured out the process.
Whenever the writer alludes to an ending of sorts which never really seems to occur he gives insight into the pattern of the program. He often says "There is no simple way to say this." Throughout the story and upon an "ending" of sorts. "When a story no longer progresses, or when it cycles, or when you tire of the paths, the experience of reading ends." This is how he explains the closure within this type of reading. So, it seems it may end several times throughout reading, but the experience ends when the reader chooses to end it. He continues to give hope that words may take the reader to a different place each time and in different situations. Similar to Hegirascope, there are quotes from different books and poems perhaps one of the characters’ intermingling with the narratives.
So, the story can change based on the links you choose and upon answering questions with innumerous possible paths. I wondered whether the system mixes paragraphs up or whether he just reuses them to create memory. I suppose it is the latter however, as each page is titled, and presumabley each is already written. There are many references to movies within memories and musical relations. I suppose this is because it is tyed to so many of our memories and the paths our minds take when recalling them.