Gleaning New Meaning from Digitally-Mediated Literature Study

Technology is defined as a discourse or treatise on art or the arts. Working with a text like Moby Dick allows us to make meaning of the technologies prevalent in digital culture by finding connections in the text. Digital culture allows for a much broader, more accessible range of adaptations of the text, such as user-generated content. It also allows us to interact with each other and share these adaptations.

In Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, Ahab’s crew functions as a machine. They do what they are told, even though Ahab’s quest is one of vengeance and puts them all into danger. Experience the story through Ishmael and seeing his thoughts and feelings are where we gain the most literary meaning. Machines help us make meaning. Inserting literature into a machine (in this case, the sea of digitally-mediating tools available to us) creates new content and new insights.

Some examples of how Moby Dick illuminates certain aspects of digital culture. One is that identity is fluid and is created. Ahab’s persona is formidable before he is even introduced. When he is in the book, he seems mad to most readers because of his fixation with the white whale. He creates an image of ruthlessness that strikes fear into the hearts of his crew members. Online we can create our identity. How we portray ourselves and what that portrayal entails is telling of our character and our motivations. The crew’s reception of Ahab’s goals is closely related to fandoms. Fans can have an immense impact on the series or franchise that they follow, which is an idea that Sam noted in his discussion on fandoms and Moby Dick. For example, the Veronica Mars movie kickstarter created the opportunity for a movie to be made, all because Veronica Mars fans donated money and made it happen. Ahab had to cater to his demographic and present his plan in a specific way so that he could get his crew on board, which is another idea that comes from Sam’s post.

Another aspect of digital culture that is illuminated in Moby Dick is that of social proofing. Even Ahab, ruthless and determined as he is, has to have his moments of social proof in order to keep his goals on track. He talks to Pip and says, “Now, then, Pip, we’ll talk this over; I do suck most wondrous philosophies from thee!” Gleaning inspiration from Pip allows his ideas to multiply and grow. Similarly, students can learn that their ideas can be shaped by the audience they plan to share their ideas with. By reaching out to others who are enthusiasts (and have some kind of stake in the matter), students can have experiences and conversations that allow their ideas to turn into something novel. This eliminates the machine-like quality of research.

Ultimately, studying literature in conjunction with digital culture gives more meaning to the text because of our ability to interact with it on so many different levels.