Soundscape in Electronic Literature: New Intermedial and Multimodal Representations of Sonic Texture

Abstract

Introduction: This is an analysis of the different representations of soundscape found in electronic literature in the frame of intermediality and multimodality through the exploration of relationships between traditional literature sound compositions and new sonic textures that are stretching beyond the realm of the written text. Methodology: This analyisis is based on three main criteria: vocal sonority, where transformations in voice representations in literature are addressed, while paying special attention to the evolution of key concepts such as orality, ambiance sonority, with emphasis in the way human voices and disorganized surround sounds are interwoven to create new sonic textures, looking at the way relationships between background and foreground in sondscape are formed, and immersive sonority, where sound depth and directionality result in the development of relational knowledge of the surrounding world in the context of situational literature. Results: This analysis has proven very useful as a critical tool not only in the interpretation of literary works but also for the promotion of sonic literacy. Conclusions: This work contributes to a critical study of electronic literature and shows that emerging forms of sonic texture require a whole new way of understanding literary theory.