Reference no: EM132306197

Module

Part 1: Write 250 words response.

After reading The Number and the Siren and considering its significance to reading over again A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance, I have decided for myself personally that A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance became even more so an intriguing read. Initially, in reading that poem, I could not understand the writer's intention for creating this piece. I could see quite clearly that this piece was meant to be interpreted in multiple ways, but how the words connected into sentences into a meaning from the author still remained unanswerable.

When I first read A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance, I was attracted to the idea of the many interpretations it proposed and how they transcended one single meaning. In fact, I had such a fun time "decoding" what I thought the title to mean. Still, I am attracted to this type of concept; but The Number and the Siren augmented that feeling for me. To me, The Number and the Siren was proof, not so much a rigid answer, that there is crazy extensive interpretations out there. I was truly amazed at how smart Meillassoux's interpretation was- his personal close reading and use of numerical data was a testament to enigmas.

What I mean by this is: Meillassoux's work did not come across (although he might have intended otherwise) to me as a resolution. I thought of it more as something akin to a conspiracy theory. Although all of Meillassoux's keys seemingly match all of the locks, it's not necessarily something I have to believe and it is not necessarily something I have to believe as true. See, the difference between an actual conspiracy theory and A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance is actuality. When theorist come up with interpretations, they are based off of actual events.

But what is so special about Mallarme's writing is that, besides his own personal intentions, his poem can multiple meanings, or solutions. Because the intent of the writing is not intentionally forthcoming, we are given the ability to give multiple intents to it. Even if by chance Meillassoux took the intent of A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance straight from Mallarme's head, because it is not clearly stated by the author, there is no set interpretation.

And that, I feel, is the beauty of writing. Imagine how many other extensive personal close readings can come out as sound as Meillassoux's- and that's why The Number and the Siren excited me.

Part 2:

Write anessay around 250 words about black boxes, electronic literature, and what you experienced in the course. Not so much whether you liked it, but rather: what surprised you? What questions are you left with? What did you learn? What did you not learn? Why not?