The hypertext, The Heist,
is an exciting and suspenseful thriller that shows the detailed planning
and unraveling of a bank robbery, from several points of view. Walter
Sorrells, the author of The Heist, says that in writing this hypertext
he "set out to write a short noir-flavored crime novel using hypertext
techniques. " It is important to note that Walter Sorrells is actually
a suspense novelist and that this is in fact his first attempt at hypertext.
Because of this fact The Heist reads more like a short story or novel than
anything else. This introduction will describe the work itself and attemp
to orient the reader with the nature of the hypertext as well as what to
expect from the story itself. The sections labelled "Time,"
and "Space" discuss the
information given here more in depth. In "Time," a detailed timeline
of the entire story is provided and is accompanied by comentary and analysis
of the events that take place in the hypertext. In the section labbelled
"Space," the setting of the The Heist is described, discussed, and analyzed
in more detail.
Sorrells´ goal in writing The Heist was to write something "entertaining"
that would amuse people, rather than what he called, the "typical hypertext."
Sorrells describes a typical hypertext as being "self-consciously
arty and interesting". In the "chatty
introduction" which can be read before the Heist to gain some insight
on Walter Sorrells, the author claims that this particular text is nothing
like regular hypertext and should not be seen as such. Because the author
said he wrote the text rather quickly, it is far from perfect and hopes
that the reader will read it with an easy going attitude. The best method
we found for reading this hypertext was to read each page at a time and
then go back and click on each link as we came upon it. Using this method
is the best way to follow the multiple events that follow the story line.
The text can also be read by clicking each link as the reader comes upon
it, but with this method it is very easy to miss important links and information.
The Heist has many pages that, according to Sorrells, are equal to 150
pages of typed text. The text is read forward like a story, however
you can click on a link at any given time and can be taken back in time
to an event that helps shed more light on the current situation.
This extra information allows the reader to gain more insight and become
more familiar with the events taking place and why they are happening.
The story itself takes place in a small, conservative, blue collar town.
The heist takes place over the course of two days which are both described
in detail by the author. In addition to these two days, the reader
is also provided with several pages of background information on the town,
bank, and characters.
Walter Sorrells set the text up in two parts. The first part includes everything
that happens before the actual heist begins and all the planning
and plots that lead up to the actual day of the heist. The first
part is composed of one page that takes place at the bank the day before
the heist. This page contains ten links that give way to thirty-four
pages that introduce most of the main characters and give detailed
information on every character involved, the town, the attitude of the
characters/town,
separate character story lines and the detailed
planning of the actual robbery. In this first part of the text you
become familiar with the characters through links the author provides
to an event from their past that ultimetly reveals more details about the
character, through the language the character uses and through the character's
interaction with other people. With some characters, like Teddy Clapp,
one of the robbers, you become very familiar with him by his manner
of speaking, his vulgar word usage and in one link, just by seeing
his rap sheet.
The second part
of the text is where the heist actually begins and, like the first part,
is composed of one page that allows you to choose how you want to experience
the heist. This page contains seven links that allow you to read the text
from the point of view of all the people involved. You can choose to read
the text as a customer,
another, robber,
bank president,
bank owner, or
a policeman. The
seventh link allows you to go back to the first part of the heist that
gives you all the history, in case you aren't ready to read the text.
Part Two also introduces the reader to several new characters. These
characters are introduced during the actual heist and include the people
in the bank when the heist occurs and those who respond to the heist
outside the bank.
Academic
year 2002
©
a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
©
Erica Serna y Maria Alvarez
Universitat
de València Press
eser@alumni.uv.es;
maeal@alumni.uv.es