The hypertext “Lies” was written by Richard L.
Pryll in 1992 with HyperCard 2.0. Only lateron it was adapted for the web,
where it can presently be found under http://users.rcn.com/rick.interport/lies/lies.html
.
The hypertext consists of around thirty nodes
with short paragraphs of text ranging from one to seven lines. Given this
little amount of text, there is no need to scroll the pages. The background of
all nodes is black with read italic script for the story’s main text and
highlighted red links in word-art style.
The hypertextuality of the story stems from its
nodes always ending with two choosable links: “Truth” and “Lies”. Thus, after
reading one node, the reader always has to choose, which option they want to
take. The choices made affect the reader’s perception, but not the content of
the story.
Pryll makes use of re-defining words and
employing pronouns in order to be able to re-use nodes. There are thus three
distinct endings to the story, which suggest to go back to the beginning.
“Lies” is a fixed-content, single point of view
story, told by an unnamed, male, first-person narrator. It has been classified
as “Honest-to-gosh Hyperfiction” on http://prentissriddle.com/hyperfiction.old.html#honest
dealing with a young couple’s relationship towards one another and their
diaries.
The story has been analyzed under the point of
view of time and space.
Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
© Julia Reiss
jureiss@alumni.uv.es
Universitat de València Press