Although I think each new media text we have studied so far has something meaningful to offer, my favorite piece of them all would have to be my body – a wunderkammer. I became interested in the genre of creative non-fiction in high school, and I’ve always wondered about new ways to present my creative non-fiction writing. I enjoy reflecting on my past experiences, especially those during my childhood. I’ve found that creative non-fiction writing can illuminate a lot of things about yourself that you tend to overlook. This kind of writing also allows you to step out and “make the familiar strange,” as they say. Creative non-fiction writing can really give you insight on how you position yourself in the world, how you develop relationships with others, or how you view a particular issue. There’s also a sense of relief when you get it down on paper or, in Shelley Jackson’s case, complete the html code.
I was very impressed with Jackson’s approach in my body, and I’m considering the work as an example for my own media project. Instead of simply choosing to write a memoir, Jackson chose to create a hypertext in which she recounts her memories. The fact that each body part is linked and readers can pick and choose which body parts to explore gives readers the sense that they are interacting with the work. We actually feel as though we are taking a glimpse into Jackson’s life. Presenting the memories in a digital work makes it more pleasurable for the reader. If we had to sit down and read a book about Jackson’s life, we would probably find it dull and boring. Some parts of that book might be dry, and we’d have to sit through all of it, instead of just picking out the parts we enjoy, the parts that we can relate to. It’s a totally different experience with my body. Jackson boldly presents readers with a picture drawing of her body, encouraging them to click where they please. I, personally, gravitated towards the body parts that held some significance in my own life. (I clicked on the ear first, since I have a funny story about the time I stuck a pearl in my ear.) In this way, readers can find ways to relate to Jackson’s work.
I also enjoyed Jackson’s candid tone. She seems comfortable talking about anything and everything, and at times her story seems fantastical and fabricated. For me, the line between creative non-fiction and fiction is blurred in the work. I still found it intruiguing, though. Also, I thought the sound and illustrations were nice touches. The drawings were visually stimulating, and they served as a break from the actual text. In addition to the text, the drawings provide a glimpse into Jackson’s life. They show readers how Jackson perceives herself and her body. She mentions drawing in a lot of her anecdotes, so she’s infusing more of herself into the work by including these drawings. I feel that my body is an up-close-and-personal piece – from the heavy breathing that accompanies the title page to the “wunderkammer” idea that seems to encourage readers to explore this body. At the same time, however, Jackson seems very inviting. She wants readers to be able to relate to her work. Presenting her memories in this way not only reaches a larger audience, but it also encourages readers to reflect on their own experiences.