Interactive Narratives and Non-linearity: Bridging Ergodic Literature and Video Games
Prepared by the researche :Dr. Rym GRIOUI – University of Carthage – Republic of Tunisia
Democratic Arabic Center
Journal of cultural linguistic and artistic studies : Thirty-fourth Issue – December 2024
A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin
Journal of cultural linguistic and artistic studies
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Abstract
In a context where literature and video games are often perceived as opposites, this article explores points of convergence between these two media, particularly through the concept of ergodic literature. This literary form, characterized by the active participation of the reader, echoes the immersive and interactive qualities of video games. The article examines three ergodic works : House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino and The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall ; to illustrate how non-linearity, interactivity, and narrative complexity enrich the reader’s experience, in a manner similar to that of a gamer. This study highlights the importance of active participation and immersive storytelling to meet the expectations of the contemporary generation, who favor engaging and transformative reading and gaming experiences.
Introduction
At a time when the rise of digital media raised concerns that literature might fade away (Bradshaw, 2004), it now appears that literature and video games frequently go hand in hand, revealing numerous “points of convergence” that challenge the often-held view of opposition between these two forms of expression. Today, the worlds and structures of both media remain in constant interaction: video game creators often draw inspiration from literary narratives (Mingli, 2023), while many authors incorporate playful elements into their works. Beyond these mutual influences, some truly hybrid works explore the links and differences between literature and video games, illustrating that the boundaries between these two realms are not as rigid as they may seem.
At first glance, this convergence may appear absurd and contradictory: literature is traditionally perceived as a domain of deep reflection, carrying intellectual and aesthetic values, whereas video games are sometimes seen as superficial and trivial entertainment (Brougère, 1999). However, this reductive view fails to capture the richness and complexity of these two art forms. It is within this context that studying these convergences gains significance. Far from opposing each other, literature and video games complement and enrich each other, responding to the cultural and cognitive transformations of Generation Alpha, who are no longer content to be passive consumers but seek to actively participate in the creation of narratives. Analyzing these new dynamics allows us to understand how these two seemingly opposing media can offer immersive and engaging experiences suited to the expectations of our time.
Through the analysis of certain ergodic works and their alignment with the characteristics of video games, this article identifies the narrative mechanisms that make these reading experiences not only engaging but also relevant in today’s cultural context. This study aims to demonstrate that the convergence between literature and video games is not merely a stylistic coincidence but represents a necessary response to the shifts in our socio-cultural environment, where interactive and immersive narratives have become the preferred forms of storytelling.
Ergodic Literature: A Reinvention of Traditional Narration
The fusion of arts and technology has given rise to new literary forms, as various scientific studies have shown. A prominent example is Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature by Norwegian researcher Espen Aarseth (Aarseth, 1997), a pioneer in “Game Studies,” which categorizes games alongside hypertext novels and text-based adventures. Aarseth introduces the concept of “ergodic literature” as a narrative form that represents a significant evolution by inviting the reader to take a more active role. This type of literature combines traditional narrative techniques with playful elements.
As defined by Aarseth, ergodic literature is characterized by an open and dynamic structure that requires active participation from the reader. Unlike traditional literary texts, where readers passively follow a predetermined narrative path, ergodic texts require readers to make choices that influence the story’s development. This process engages the reader as an essential agent in constructing the story, a concept derived from the Greek terms “ergon” (work) and “hodos” (path), indicating the effort needed to explore the text.
In this sense, ergodic literature highlights a narrative complexity that pushes the story beyond the limits of traditional texts, even in its most basic and material terms. Such narratives merge different domains, extending writing beyond its traditional scope. The reader must play an active role in complex semiotic operations and changes to fully appreciate the text. Moreover, ergodic texts may require simple physical tasks, like repeatedly turning the text, or more complex tasks, such as simultaneously operating across different domains.
Within this framework, the author crafts a multi-layered narrative, inviting the reader to partake in the creative process by exploring all its layers, ideally. Readers may choose not to follow all the created paths or only partially do so. In this regard, this type of text offers various types of fulfillment and levels of complexity that depend on the reader’s choices. In such texts, plots and scenarios are entirely reinterpreted to generate a non-linear story progression, one that relies on the reader’s direct involvement in following paths through footnotes, parallel plots, or counter-narratives. The boundaries of meaning are thus transcended, engaging the reader in a completely novel way (Peel 74-75).
In light of the elements presented thus far, ergodic literature clearly emerges as both an extension and transformation of classical literature, offering a way to explore meta-modernity (Médaglia, 2023). By introducing new dimensions of interaction and participation, ergodic literature brings an innovative dimension to literary practice, enabling a more active and engaging exploration of text. It opens up new perspectives for researchers and readers by offering narrative experiences that combine creativity and interaction. Thus, ergodic literature becomes a valuable field of study for understanding contemporary developments in storytelling and narration.
Ergodic Literature and Video Games in Convergence
Ergodic literature incorporates features that enhance the reader’s experience and transform the way they interact with narratives. These elements intersect with those found in video games, particularly in terms of interactivity, non-linearity, and engagement. The second part of this article will focus on analyzing three ergodic novels, which serve as concrete examples of what has been explored theoretically. These works will highlight their main characteristics and explore the metamodern framework that emerges in this type of text.
Roman 1: House of Leaves
One of the key elements that connects ergodic literature with video games is interactivity. In both mediums, the reader or player is not a passive spectator; they must actively engage with the content to discover more. This interactivity is crucial, as it transforms the way the story is experienced, making each interaction unique. The first novel examined, House of Leaves (2000) by Mark Z. Danielewski, is widely recognized as a quintessential example of ergodic literature.
This work stands out due to its complex and innovative arrangement, where the text is organized unconventionally. The pages are often filled with varied typography, unusual layouts, and blocks of text that do not follow a linear path. Some sections are printed in mirror image or spirals, forcing the reader to physically manipulate the book to access information. The footnotes add another layer of depth. They do not simply provide comments or explanations, but introduce parallel stories and reflections that enrich the main narrative. The house itself, enigmatic and ever-changing, mirrors the internal struggles of the protagonists. As a result, the reader must follow multiple narrative threads simultaneously, becoming an explorer navigating between different stories and perspectives, which enhances the reading experience.
This process of active exploration not only stimulates the reader’s curiosity and interactivity but also invites them to transform reading into a labyrinthine navigation, establishing personal connections with the text. Each reader can uncover different meanings depending on their journey and personal experiences. Similarly, each navigation choice and interpretation contributes to the creation of a unique meaning. Thus, the book transforms into an innovative tool that connects with the reader in a more engaged and profound way than traditional texts. This reader engagement is essential to ergodic literature.
Roman 2: If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
Another essential commonality between ergodic literature and video games lies in the non-linear structure. Unlike traditional stories where the plot follows a well-defined linear path, these works offer freedom of exploration, allowing players or readers to determine their own progression through the narrative. This feature gives the experience a unique and immersive dimension, where each choice or route influences the unfolding of the story and its emotional impact.
In ergodic literature, a prominent example is If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino (Calvino, 1979). The work is built on a series of nested stories, where the reader is constantly confronted with interruptions of the main plot and redirected to new fragments of stories. Each chapter presents the beginning of a different narrative, plunging the reader into a multiplicity of narrative worlds, never offering a definitive conclusion. This non-linear process forces the reader to actively engage in the construction of meaning through an unconventional path. The absence of linear progression and the need to choose which narrative thread to follow create a highly personal and immersive reading experience, where the meaning of the work emerges not only from the text itself but also from the way the reader approaches it.
Furthermore, this non-linear structure challenges the traditional way we conceive of storytelling. Linear works generally follow a classic narrative progression with a defined beginning, middle, and end. In non-linear narratives, however, the reader has the power to redefine this order, transforming their role from a passive consumer to an active participant with the ability to make moral, intellectual, or emotional choices.
Roman 3: The Raw Shark Texts
Narrative complexity is a key characteristic that links ergodic literature with video games, making the experience of interacting with these forms of art both demanding and rewarding. Both mediums engage the reader or player in deep, multidimensional plots that are often open to multiple interpretations. Ergodic literature is defined by this complexity, adopting unconventional narrative structures that require active involvement from the reader.
Take, for example, The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (Hall, 2007), a work that blurs the line between literary fiction and visual art. The novel mixes text and images to explore deep themes such as memory, identity, and perception of reality. The narrative complexity lies in the way the story unfolds, forcing the reader to interpret visual and textual clues that form a cohesive whole. For example, some passages in the book are written to resemble shark figures or other visual shapes, introducing a dimension where the text becomes a kind of labyrinth that the reader must decipher. This innovative use of visuals and words compels the reader to question the very nature of narration. In The Raw Shark Texts, the protagonist, suffering from amnesia, struggles to rebuild his identity and memories, and the reader is involved in this discovery process. The reader’s participation in this complex narrative goes beyond simple reading: they become an active participant in interpreting and reconstructing the text, just as in video games where the player co-constructs the story.
In both cases, the narrative complexity allows for pushing the boundaries of the medium. These works do not merely tell stories; they interrogate the way narratives are constructed, perceived, and understood, making the spectator or reader a true collaborator in creating meaning. Thus, the shared narrative complexity between ergodic literature and video games creates immersive and intellectually stimulating experiences, where active engagement is necessary to interpret the profound implications of the stories.
| Image 1: House of leaves
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Image 2: If on a winter’s night a traveler | Image 3: The Raw Shark Texts de Steven Hall |
These works reveal a profound transformation in the way media, such as literature and video games, are perceived. Indeed, the traditional boundaries between these forms of expression are gradually disappearing, allowing for the emergence of hybrid creations that transcend strict distinctions between genres. This demonstrates that the definition of a work no longer relies exclusively on its formal characteristics or its medium of origin, but on the experience it offers to the audience. The expectations of spectators, readers, or players, as well as publishing and distribution practices, now influence how these works are perceived and interpreted. As a result, the boundaries between literature and video games are no longer simply a matter of creation, but also of reception. This shift reflects a broader reconfiguration of contemporary culture, where media categories are becoming increasingly fluid and transmedia. This fluidity allows for greater flexibility in cultural creation and consumption, fostering innovation and openness to other mediums.
Challenges and Issues of Ergodic Literature: Complexity and Accessibility
It is clear that ergodic literature represents a radical evolution within contemporary literature, pushing the boundaries of narrative art. As Anaïs Guilet argues, new media should not be seen as a threat to literature, but rather as a vector for its evolution (Guilet, 2013). This type of literature revitalizes the book and explores new formal and aesthetic possibilities. In this sense, ergodic literature appears as a response to the expectations of newer generations, such as Generation Alpha, the first to grow up immersed in a digital world (Höfrová et al., 2024). This approach caters to the needs of these readers, who differ significantly from previous generations in terms of cognition and social behaviors. However, ergodic literature also presents several challenges that warrant exploration.
Firstly, the complexity and interactivity of ergodic literature can make it a form of art perceived as elitist and difficult to access for the general public. Indeed, non-linear structures, often fragmented and multiple, require sustained and active engagement from the reader, going beyond the expectations of conventional literature. This exclusivity may discourage readers less familiar with such demanding formats, limiting the accessibility of ergodic literature and narrowing its potential audience. As a result, while innovative and captivating for a knowledgeable audience, ergodic literature risks remaining confined to a limited circle, thus hindering its broader dissemination and access to certain readers.
Furthermore, ergodic literature requires considerable cognitive investment from the reader, who must navigate a complex structure with multiple choices. This effort, both stimulating and potentially exhausting, may limit the immersive experience for some readers and hinder their long-term engagement. While complexity is one of the strengths of ergodic literature, it could discourage some readers, thus questioning the genre’s ability to captivate a diverse audience over time. Although the richness of ergodic literature lies in its ability to play with time, space, and narrative, this aspect may limit its appeal to a wider and more diverse audience, particularly those seeking a smoother and less demanding form of immersion. In this sense, the ability of this genre to maintain readers’ interest over time becomes a central issue, one that could be addressed in future scholarly contributions.
On the other hand, the possibility of exploring multiple narrative paths in ergodic literature generates a diversity of interpretations and perspectives that enrich the work, but at the same time, it also produces meanings that are sometimes contradictory. This multiplicity of narrative trajectories blurs the traditional contours of literary interpretation, which often struggles to capture the full integrity of possible meanings in an ergodic text. Indeed, the linear and univocal approach of traditional analyses finds it difficult to grasp the richness and complexity of these works, where meaning is actively co-created by the reader as they make their choices. This challenge, far from being a mere obstacle, invites scholars to rethink their analytical tools and develop innovative methodologies capable not only of accounting for this interpretative diversity but also of structuring a critical discourse flexible enough to navigate this plurality of meanings.
Conclusion
Ergodic literature, with its non-linear structures and multiple narrative paths, represents an innovative yet demanding form of literary expression. This article has highlighted the points of convergence between ergodic literature and video games, two art forms that, although typically seen as distinct, share key characteristics such as interactivity and the significant role of the reader or player in constructing the narrative. These similarities reveal creative and reception dynamics that are redefining the boundaries between media and storytelling, exploring a space of enriching complementarity.
However, the challenges posed by ergodic literature reflect deeper issues around accessibility, engagement, and critical analysis, especially in a world where digital interactivity is becoming central. While this genre offers unprecedented opportunities to reinvent storytelling and meet the expectations of a younger, digitally immersed audience, it still faces limitations that hinder its adoption by a wider public. To overcome these obstacles, it is essential to develop analytical methodologies tailored to its specificities, thus enriching the critical discourse while making this literature more accessible.
In terms of future perspectives, research could further explore the intersections between ergodic literature and other immersive narrative forms, such as virtual reality, to push the boundaries of narrative interaction. It would also be relevant to investigate how ergodism could inspire literary education by integrating interactive works into pedagogical approaches, cultivating analytical skills in readers from a young age. These avenues open the door to a renewal of literature, adapted to the new expectations of a constantly evolving society, where the reading experience becomes a co-creation between the author, the text, and the reader.
Short Biography
Dr. Rym Grioui is an Assistant Professor at the University of Carthage, specializing in cultural sciences with a focus on digital youth cultures and game studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Sciences from the University of Tunis, where she explored the cultural and cognitive aspects of serious games, and has earned her Habilitation in 2024. Dr. Grioui has published extensively, including her recent book Beyond the Screen: Massively Multiplayer Online Games and Emerging Cultures, which examines the social dynamics within virtual worlds. Her research spans themes such as youth engagement in digital spaces, the sociocultural impacts of gamification, and the localization of video games in the Arab region. Dr. Grioui is also a dedicated member of the research laboratory “Art, Mediation, Childhood” and actively participates in initiatives that support the socio-educational development of adolescents, notably through projects in collaboration with international partners. Additionally, she coordinates international projects, which promotes social cohesion in Tunisia and fosters civil society resilience in response to crises. Dr. Grioui frequently presents at international conferences and contributes to discussions on youth, digitalization, and inclusive education, positioning her as a leading voice in the intersection of digital culture and educational innovation.
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