Copyright 1996 by Jen Clodius. This is a draft, originally written for a graduate seminar on the Anthropology of Performance.
Table of Contents
One of the greatest joys and biggest headaches of working in uncharted territory is the on-going attempt to try to find "fit" between theory and practice. My current challenge is the attempt to find areas of overlap between theories of orality and of textuality in DragonMud [1], where aspects of both and neither are evidenced. While much of what occurs on DragonMud has the "flavor" of oral performance, the inherent textual nature of the medium cannot be dismissed. Nonetheless, I (albeit somewhat hesitantly) suggest that interactions on DragonMud are more oral than textual in nature.
Text Production as Cultural Capital
The entire world of DragonMud is made up of text. Words, quite literally,
construct local geography [2], as well as the objects
[3] and the descriptions
of the
people [4] that inhabit the realm. To the extent that they participate in
the
community then, DragonMudders "experience" text. As Kapferer points out
(following Laing), the individuals involved cannot experience this text in
the
same way, but, because it is interactive, do share common understandings
about
aspects of each other's experience with the text being produced (1986,
188).
The people [5] I cite in the examples below are most certainly social actors,
well
aware that they perform in relationship to each other. Gestures cannot be
unconscious; they require the performance of an act of volition,
specifically,
typing an action, then hitting the
Text, and the ability to perform it creatively, is, as Hanks suggests,
cultural
capital (1989, 119) within DragonMud. auliya tosses out a comment,
provoking
responses from other players. zingdol's and Hellhound's ankles are
protected by
socks (the color of the socks being worthy of comment because this
interchange
took place on St. Patrick's Day), and then, in zingdol's case, shredded.
Rousseau gives the imaginary cat cream, claiming it has been delivered by
the
bartender, and the bartender feebly attempts to distance himself from
involvement. Yet in contrast to Hanks's assertions about the permanence
of text
(1989, 96), this text, in addition to being interactively produced, is
ephemeral, unfixed. Unless saved to a log [7], the words are gone, lost in
the
ether, once they've scrolled off of a player's screen.
Schechner points out that theater is a variety of texts, only one of which
is
verbal (1992, 277). Yet in the improvisational theater [8] of DragonMud,
even
verbal acts are performed in text. Rather than set theatrical pieces,
conversations are conducted spontaneously. Moreover, contrary to Ricoeur
(1979,
78), this text is challenged; the author's meanings are interrogated.
Clarifications are requested and given as needed; the text is "rescued"
from
fixity and wider context reestablished. An author's meanings are not (nor
can
they be) disassociated from the author's intent.
In the following excerpt for example, wapini says she left a party at 2
(line
5), and Star queries "am?" (line 6). The response is implied in
Rousseau's
comment on line 8. In line 12, wapini tells Celeste that she (wapini)
took
pictures of Celeste; Celeste's request for clarification are on lines 13
and 14.
wapini responds on line 18, but not before zingdol notes that he also took
pictures of Celeste asleep (line 16). Celeste adds further comment on
line 19,
and, at almost the same time, zingdol comments on wapini's addition that
she has
pictures of him in his sleeping bag (lines 21 and 18). The entire
interchange,
although "performed", is still interactive.
The inherent textual aspects of this exchange are demonstrated in lines 23
and
lines 25 through 29, where Celeste is teased about mis-typing "censoring".
While this incident had to occur in text to cause comment (how would one
even go
about noticing, much less commenting upon, an oral homonym?) the fact that
the
error was made at all points to the oral nature of the interchange. Yet
it is
because the textual context was necessary that I hesitate to
whole-heartedly
follow Bauman and construct this interchange as an "ethnography of
speaking"
(1982, 12).
Yet, according to Ong, inherent in text is the need to be clear without
gesture,
intonation, or facial expression (1982, 104). But in the example above,
DragonMudders perform all of these attributes in text. Lonewolf wonders
(line
1), wapini laughs (line 5), Celeste blushes (line 19). Emphasis is
implied by
capitalization (line 15), and by repetition of punctuation (line 13). In
addition, "smilies" are used, occasionally seeming to replace punctuation.
Unusual smilies are explained (lines 2 and 7).
It might be suggested, then, that in spite of the text in which it is
produced,
interactions on DragonMud are inherently oral in nature. Ong tells us,
for
instance, that "sound exists only when it is going out of existence" with
the
example that, when pronouncing the word "permanence", by the time one
reaches
"-ence", the "perma-" is gone. Conversation on DragonMud has the same
quality
of being "essentially evanescent" (Ong 1982, 32); once the text has
scrolled
off the top of the screen, it is gone.
To further complicate matters, oral forms of words are frequently used in
text.
For example:
In line 1, Jopsy uses "prolly" for "probably", as well as using the
informal,
verbal "yeah". His use of ellipses between "thoughts" is intended to
convey the
physical nature of his thought processes. Moreover, words are not only
spelled
as they're commonly pronounced, but are also shortened to demonstrate
common
vocal elisions. Bedouin conflates "is that" into "'zat" in line 10, and
zingdol shortens "them" to "'em" in line 12. zingdol twists a statement
into a
negative verb when he "naws" in line 3 and signals a vocal pause when he
uses
"Erm" in line 15. Emphasis, in the form of doubling, is also demonstrated
in
line 14, when zingdol "nodnods".
The following excerpt demonstrates a variety of oral methodologies
commonly used
in text by DragonMudders: interrogation and response in lines 1 and 3, 2
and 5
(with commentary in line 6), and 4 and 7. Commentary to the latter
exchange
appears in lines 8 and 9, with expansion in line 10 and further commentary
in
line 11. In addition, oral spellings and elisions are numerous in line
10, when
Bedouin uses "Hahvahd", "hadda", "'em" and "'cause". Emphasis is
demonstrated
by the use of surrounding asterisks ("*swell*" in line 7) and zingdol's
doubled
nod and repeated "very" in line 9. Moreover, Bedouin indicates a vocal
pause
with the ellipses at the end of line 7; the thought is continued in line
10.
One peculiarity of the intermediate nature of this form of text is the
made-up
word "noddles" used by Lonewolf in line 8. I assume that this formation
is
carried over from "huggles", a conflation of "hugs" and "snuggles",
however,
since the appearance of "noddles" was spontaneous (and long pre-dates
Lonewolf's usage) I've no way of being sure [9].
Nonetheless, the fluidity of the language and the spontaneous creation of
words and the negotiation of their meanings would seem to be further evidence
of the oral nature of these interactions. Language, as Dragonmudders use
it, is mutable and malleable. not only are words re-spelled to more
closely resemble their oral counterparts, but so, too, are non-literary
sounds. In the very first excerpt (on p. 2) Lonewolf "acks" and wapini
"eeps" -- "sounds" caused by their apparent dismay and startlement.
Further complication is added to the problem of analysis by the fluidity
with which Dragonmudders combine physical performance and verbal
performance. In the above example, lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 11 are
"spoken", and lines 4, 8, 9, and 10 are not. Yet speech is implicit in
line 4 and implied in line 8 (zingdol's agreement in line 9 is, I think,
intended to be verbal in nature, but he could also be nodding very much).
Line 10, while "performed", is still finishing the "verbal" comment in
line 7. Although none are evidenced in the examples above, it's not
unusual for Dragonmudders to combine both types of performance into one
action. For example:
In one statement, zingdol evokes a physical action (sniffle), a facial
expression (pout), emphasis (the asterisks around the word "pout"), a
"spoken" sentence, and a terminal smiley to demonstrate that he's
responding good-naturedly to the teasing that was the cause of his sniffle
and pout.
At the risk of appearing to draw firm conclusions at a point when I'm
still, in all honesty, thinking about and working through oral and
textual theories of DragonMud interactions, it seems to me that commentary
about orality seems more applicable than does labeling these interchanges
"text". Not only are the interactions ephemeral and fleeting, but their
style is more narrative than textual. Though physically typed,
interchanges are performed, and meanings are interrogated. A writer's
audience is not a mental fiction; rather, the audience consists of fellow
participants, just as listeners would be in an oral conversation.
[1] Because of space constraints, I'm omitting my
usual 10-page explanation of what Dragonmud "is" and how it works. Suffice
it to say that DragonMud is a real-time on-line non-geographic community,
where interactions occur within a computer program at University of
California, San Diego.
[2] The Pit (the "tavern" in which most of the
following examples occurred) "looks" like this: A huge room expands before
you, looking more like a natural cavern under the city than a man-made
structure. Nevertheless, the floor is polished hardwood, the walls thick
oaken panels, and the ceiling covered with tapestries from all corners of
the globe. A huge bar spans the length of the wall to your left as you
enter. The center of the floor is a lowered 'pit', giving the place its
name, two steps leading down to it. In the pit proper are tables of all
sizes, while booths ring the walls. [Exits: Up to South Firemarch].
[3] A sword named "Heart's Razor" and carried by a
player, for example, "looks" like this: you see a study of efficiency in
steel. Thirty-three inches of iridescent blade sweeps in a gentle curve to meet an inlaid ivory handle
topped
by a spired pommel. A cross between a hand-and-a-half broadsword and a
Katana,
the blade has the strength of the first, the speed of the second and can
best be
described as a two-handed scimitar. The weapon swings easily in a slash or
draw
cut; the back of the blade becomes a lethal, razored sickle on reverse
strokes.
A gift from DragonMud's Master Armorer.
[4] zingdol, for instance, "looks" like this: You see a tall, dark-haired
fellow,
wearing shimmering satin and silk robes of auburn and true green. He seems
strangely at ease, radiating compassion, warmth, tenderness and reverence.
His
smile only slightly betrays his excitement, and his eyes flicker with the
knowledge of love, the humour of home, the wonders of unity. The wizard's
cap
atop his head looks slightly out of place, however, as do the occasional
strange
bunny sounds emanating from it.
[5] The players involved in these examples are, in no particular order, a
computer systems analyst, a French student, a grad student in Philosophy,
a
nuclear physicist, a Lakota shamaness, a computer systems engineer, a grad
student in Anthropology, a grad student in BioMathematics, a high school
junior
(at West High in Madison, oddly enough), a pilot, an accountant, a
psychiatrist,
and a computer science student.
[6] My standard disclaimers apply: I've logged conversations that took
place in
"public" places on-line. I've edited the logs for clarity and continuity,
and
cleaned up spelling and punctuation when it is not indicative of a
particular
player's "style" (which is why wapini's "girns" and use of ellipses
instead of
spaces are uncorrected). My original logs remain intact. All of the
examples
used are extracted from logs of 3/17/96.
[7] Some "client" programs allow players to log on-line conversations;
reading
logs has the same "there but not-there" feeling as listening to tape
recorded
conversations.
[8] Following Rheingold, who describes systems like DragonMud as being
"communication soup in real time, with a flavor of improvisatory theater"
(1993,
149).
[9] The addition of the "-les" suffix occurs other places too, as in
"pokles"
and "grinnles". Generally, this suffix is intended to convey a sense of
playfulness to the performed action.
auliya's cat attacks your ankles.
zingdol's ankles have green socks covering 'em. :)
Hellhound has on green socks, too. :)
Now zingdol's green socks have holes in 'em the size of kitty-claws.
Rousseau gives auliya's cat green whipping cream, sent to him by the
bartender
Lonewolf acks at the cat.. mine only drools.
nightshade's ankles are already well-cat-scratched. no biggie :)
wapini eeps..which cat nightshade?
The bartender glares as if to deny any such soft-heartedness. He
distinctly does not look toward the kitchen, where the tavern's own
rather fat puss is chowing down on leftovers.
1 - Lonewolf wonders how the party went?
2 - Hellhound says "Party was great! I got flowers sent to me, too. %^}"
3 - Rousseau says "wapini forgot to go home!:-)"
4 - Lonewolf smiles and grins!
5 - wapini laughs!..well I left around 2.
6 - Star says "am?"
7 - Hellhound notes that %^} is the Giddy Smile he was talking about
earlier. :)
8 - Rousseau says "she was driving all over NJ at 4 in the morning!:-)"
9 - wapini was watching zingdol run around wearing a brown sleeping bag.
10 - uwiz says "wapini, you could have sold a video of that at a wonderful
price :)"
11 - Celeste fell asleep around 10 pm. Danged brain finally gave out on
her.
12 - wapini girns..I have pics!
13 - Celeste says "Pics of me???"
14 - Celeste says "Sleeping??"
15 - Star says "Sounds like it was a GREAT party!"
16 - zingdol has pics too!
17 - nightshade says "wow... lost in the wilds of NJ.. "
18 - wapini girns..yup!..and of zingdol in the sleeping bag.
19 - Celeste blushes a lot, and hopes she wasn't snoring and drooling.
20 - Hellhound has numerous pictures, too.
21 - zingdol yegads and ohdears at some of these pics.
22 - wapini girns..nope..just mumbling a bit.
23 - Celeste thinks she should have sensoring privileges with zingy's
pics. ;)
24 - wapini can't wait to get them developed!
25 - Hellhound says "censoring."
26 - Hellhound grins.
27 - Celeste says "Er, yeah, oops. Freudian."
28 - zingdol will let Celeste sense his pics all she likes. ;)
29 - auliya thought sensoring sounded better...
1 - Jopsy thinks... almost six... still need to do laundry... no food in
the house... no gas in the car... gas, carne asada, laundry, grocs...
and then home again... 3 hours? Yeah, prolly.
2 - Bedouin would think that the carne asada would solve the gas
problems... ;-)
3 - zingdol naws to Jops -- multitasking will bring that down to 2 hours.
:)
4 - Jopsy says "Okay, I'm off for the gas, gas, suds, and sups."
5 - zingdol grins to Jopsy -- in that order? :)
6 - Jopsy bows to all assembled, and a few dis-assembled bodies on the
floor... "(Pull yourself together, Geezzz!)" and departs for probably
more hours than most of you will remain online. :-)
7 - Jopsy has left.
8 - Lonewolf must have missed something about disassembled bodies, and
scrolls back quickly!
9 - wapini thinks most of us are assembled?
10 - Bedouin has parts of her act together -- 'zat close enough?
11 - Hellhound doesn't have any detachable parts, last time he checked.
12 - zingdol has detachable parts -- the only problem is reattaching 'em.
13 - Fritz says "nails and hair is the one I can think of."
14 - zingdol nodnods and touches his nose towards Fritz. :)
15 - zingdol says "Erm, that's NOT to mean my nose is detachable!"
1 - Lonewolf says "How did Harvard go, Bedouin?"
2 - Fritz says "Harvard now?? What are you doing there?"
3 - Bedouin says "Harvard went well, thanks :-)"
4 - Lonewolf smiles. And Boston?
5 - Bedouin says "I'm not there, I was there. That is, I got invited to
guest-lecture at a class there."
6 - Fritz says "I see. I see."
7 - Bedouin says "Boston was *swell* fun -- had dinner with Lorrick and
Misho, had lunch with a pal of mine from UofChicago days, zingdol and
I spent hours poking around book stores and little shops..."
8 - Lonewolf noddles! Fun!
9 - zingdol nodnods -- very very much so!
10 - Bedouin also bought so many books (between Yale and Hahvahd and other
stores) that she hadda ship 'em home UPS 'cause they wouldn't fit in her
suitcase.
11 - Fritz says "That is a lot of books."
zingdol sniffles and *pouts*. "Along with the ice cream and whipped
cream, but that's another story. :)"