Detektívtörténetek Moretti rendszerében

Alkalmazható-e a távoli olvasás a videójátékokra?

Absztrakt

Detective stories in Moretti’s system: can we apply distant reading to video games?

Even though we study literature, it is physically impossible to read and have knowledge of the entirety of literary canon. This problem becomes even more severe, if we recall that canon is just a small segment of a greater whole. Franco Moretti responds to this dilemma with his methodology of distant reading. In an interesting experiment, Moretti and his students applied distant reading to the crime stories in The Strand Magazine, examining the causes for the success or failure of each work. During their project, they discovered narrative frameworks, and used them to create a tree graph of their findings. But to what extent has the experiment lived up to its promise, and how can it be applied today? Going further: can we approach the plots of video games with the method of distant reading? Can modern technology open up new pathways? How can we apply the tools of literary studies to the field of Game Studies? Is there a real connection between world literature and video games?