My Transformation

The Google maps essay is a very interesting format, and undoubtedly a form of electronic literature.  This story in particular describes a girl on her journey from Johnstown to the Middle East, from a small town girl to a combat veteran.  On the surface, the Google maps essay is similar to other traditional storytelling formats like books, blogs, and letters.  However, what makes this essay a form of electronic literature, and in our opinion what makes the message so powerful, is the ability to zoom in on the places the author describes.  This allows us to take a closer look at the places in which the author was deployed, and gives the reader a sense of the emotions one feels when embarking on a journey like the one she is describing.  If the reader takes the time to zoom in on some of the wild locations the author visited, they gain a better understanding of the emotions she describes.  This is something that conventional literature simply cannot mimic.

The map format enhances storytelling ability and reliability tremendously. The format lends itself to giving small teachings of geography.  “Where did this part of the story happen?”  “A few miles west of the third chapter.”  Maps allow the reader to understand the location of the narrative, and to relate his or her own personal experiences to those of the author.  Although this form of storytelling may challenge the author in several different ways, the final piece of literature is engaging and unique.  By formatting the story in a way that puts emphasis on the chronology and location of certain events, the concepts of travel and personal growth are magnified.  When the author splits every detail of the story into a different location on the map, it helps the reader understand the magnitude of the move or journey that is taking place.  With this story, it helps to show the transitions from Johnstown to Texas, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and finally Afghanistan.

When one zooms out entirely from the map, the true scope of the journey and the distance between points can be realized.  This story also makes excellent use of titling the locations and using dialogue to deepen the emotional breadth of the experience.  The format also presents interesting opportunities to add additional forms of media such as pictures, videos, animations, paths, and polygons.  The opportunity for nonlinear or even exploration-based storytelling is also an interesting consideration.  In the dawn of a new era in literature, the possibilities for expressing personal narratives are endless, and this is only the beginning.