Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves and Audrey Niffenegger's two visual novels The Three Incestuous Sisters and The Adventuress all contain examples of manipulated paratext - paratexts being the devices involved in the presentation of the text such as titles, author names, font, introductions, illustrations, appendices, advertising, and interviews. The emphasis these authors place on these usually inconspicuous devices is an expression of the irrational themes contained within these texts. The irrational is an underlying theme of the Gothic genre and through examining the use of manipulated paratexts this thesis demonstrates how these texts make use of the irrational Gothic elements that are present within the postmodern. While Danielewski and Niffenegger both have these similar themes, the effects they create are extremely different. Niffenegger creates écriture feminine, or feminine writing as described by Hélène Cixous, by prioritising illustrations that feature marginalised bodily expression in order to convey the narrative rather than text. Danielewski, on the other hand, produces a text that is a pure pastiche of Gothic and postmodern devices in order to emulate the postmodern media in its creation of hyperreality and to reproduce the sensation of a media that possesses and changes its consumers. House of Leaves is the instigator for a number of similar texts that have been published since the turn of the millennium which will be considered an emerging literary movement.

My Bachelor’s thesis is a comparative analysis between humans and machines in a science fiction novel (Neuromancer) and a movie (Matrix). I explored in these works how the machines used technologies to influence on the humans. I used examples of characters from the text and movie along with the references of other writers writing on the same topic to help convey my message. I explored mainly the identity and reality issues among characters. William Gibson in Neuromancer portrays that technology has become a part of human body. While in the Matrix we see how machines are taking control on humans. In my thesis I started with Neuromancer and write about identity and reality issues of characters and artificial intelligences. In the second part of the thesis I write the same with the characters of the movie Matrix but also I compared these characters with characters of Neuromancer. Some other discussions in my thesis are about hyperreality, simulation, simulacra with reference to mostly Baudrillard. Overall this thesis explores the issues of identity and reality to the characters in the works and also to the readers as well. Key Terms: Identity, Reality, Hyperreality, Simulation, Simulacra.

Abstract My essay focuses on the construction of identity in virtual spaces but with an emphasis on Facebook. The purpose of my thesis is to analyze the construction of identities online and the characteristics attributable to online identities. Also, I attempt to draw a comparison between the modernist and postmodernist concept of self presentation and how they operate. With my essay, I demonstrate that the modernists view of self presentation online is arguably faulty by showing that contrary to their views identities are not stable nor fixed bur are fluid and constantly changing through the availability of technologically advanced computer languages and again by outlining the availability of tools that enable users create, and/or distort their identities Also, with my essay, I explain how these identities are maintained through a process called “impression management”. I analyze identity construction through the eyes of theorists like Erving Goffman, who proposes that we actors performing our identities, Sherry Turkle, who evaluates identity construction in the age of the internet and other theorists like Judith Butler, Joanne Finkelstein, Peggy A Thoits, Annette N Markham, Zizi Papacharissi among others. Digital Artifact: creation of a website that adopts a performative nature to depict the unstable locus of identity on Facebook. In order to achieve this, I would work on HTML, Flash, Photoshop to create a constantly changing array of texts and images using actual images from selected Facebook users’ accounts and actual status updates. Keyterms: Identity, Medium/Media, Nomenclature, Hyperreality, Representation, Culture and Performance. / 0704083287

L’écran est une interface omniprésente utilisée quotidiennement. Sur-sollicité par les écrans, l’individu ne peut pas percevoir l’intégralité des informations. La compréhension de l’attention portée aux contenus médiatisés est un enjeu crucial dans la stratégie marketing. Un paramètre n’a pas été pris en compte dans les précédentes études: la qualité technique de l’image médiatisée. Elle peut être définie comme l’ensemble des paramètres suivants : la définition, la fréquence image, la luminosité et la couleur. Pour mesurer la perception de l’amélioration de ces paramètres, une phase exploratoire a été menée comprenant un test de qualité perçue, un focus group et des entretiens. Une phase empirique confirmatoire a suivi pour étudier l’attention visuelle et la mémorisation de l’information médiatisée grâce à deux expérimentations. Une série d’entretien et un focus group ont permis d’étudier l’hyperréalité dans l’image médiatisée et son impact sur l’immersion et la qualité d’expérience. / The screen is a ubiquitous interface daily used. Overextended by screens, the individual cannot perceive all the information. Understanding the visual attention to media content is a crucial issue in the marketing strategy. A parameter of the mediated image has not been taken into account in the studies conducted so far: the technical quality of the image. It can be defined as the set of parameters that objectively compose an image: the definition, the image frequency, the brightness dynamics and the color. To measure the perception of the improvement of these parameters, an exploratory phase was conducted including a perceived quality test, a focus group and interviews. A confirmatory empirical phase followed to study the visual attention and memorization of mediated information through two experiments. A series of interviews and a focus group explored hyperreality in the mediated image and its impact on immersion and quality of experience.

This essay analyses Thomas Pynchon’s novel The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) in relation to postmodern literary theory, specifically the concepts of hyperreality and imaginary stations. In Simulacra and Simulation (1981), Jean Baudrillard proposes that the Disneyland theme park in California is an imaginary station that conceals the fact that it is the world outside of Disneyland that is hyperreal. These ideas were developed further in relation to California by Umberto Eco in Travels from Hyperreality (1986). Baudrillard’s model is applied in this essay to the housing development of Fangoso Lagoons in The Crying of Lot 49. By analysing the mediums through which it is portrayed, how it is described and the events that occur there, Fangoso Lagoons is found to be similar to Baudrillard’s example of Disneyland because it is presented as an amazing, fantastic and bizarre spectacle. However, the true hyperreality lies outside of the development, in the novel’s semi-fictional California. This essay argues that Fangoso Lagoons is presented as hyperreal, similar to Baudrillard’s example of Disneyland or Umberto Eco’s example of Hearst Castle, but that it is in fact an imaginary station. As Baudrillard and Eco propose, the purpose of the imaginary station is to make the world outside appear as real through contrast. The imaginary station achieves this by feeding reality energy to its hyperreal surroundings.

No description available.

Syfte: Vårt syfte med denna studie är att förstå hur små symbolförändringar påverkar konsumentens uppfattning av den hyperverklighet som marknadsförare försöker framställa på Instagram.   Metod: I denna studie har en kvantitativ undersökning genomförts. Vår empiri har samlats in genom en enkätundersökning och därefter analyserats i statistikprogrammet SPSS. I programmet utfördes en korrelationsanalys, faktoranalys samt en klusteranalys.  Resultat & slutsats: Resultatet visar att små symbolförändringar i en bostadsannons påverkar konsumentens uppfattning av den hyperverklighet som marknadsförare försöker framställa på Instagram. Av symbolerna exteriör, interiör, trendig inredning, naturligt ljus och gröna växter som finns i bostadsannonser är trendig inredning den symbol som har störst påverkan på konsumenternas uppfattning av den hyperverklighet som presenteras. Vår slutsats är att fastighetsmäklare och marknadsförare därför främst bör fokusera på att bostadsannonsen innehåller trendig inredning.  Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Att genomföra denna studie med hjälp av en ögonskanner som mäter vad ögat tittar på i en bostadsannons. Detta skulle ge en djupare förståelse för vilka symboler som ögat dras till.  Uppsatsens bidrag: Bostadsannonser som publiceras av marknadsförare på Instagram är idag väldigt likartade. Vår studie visar att det är de små subtila symbolförändringarna som har en påverkan på konsumentens uppfattning av den hyperverklighet som marknadsförare presenterar. / Aim: Our aim with this study is to understand how small symbolic alterations affect the consumer's perception of the hyperreality that marketers are trying to portray on Instagram.  Method: In this study, a quantitative survey was carried out. Our empirical data were collected through a questionnaire and then analyzed in the statistical program SPSS. The program conducted a correlation analysis, factor analysis and a cluster analysis.  Result & Conclusion: The results show that small symbol alterations in a real estate ad affect consumers' perception of the hyperreality that marketers are trying to portray on Instagram. Of the symbols exterior, interior, trendy decor, natural light and green plants found in real estate ads are trendy decor the symbol that has the greatest impact on consumers' perception of the hyperreality presented. Our conclusion is that real estate agents and marketers, therefore, should primarily focus on residential image contains trendy decor.  Suggestions for further research: To carry out this study, using an eye scanner that measures what the eye is watching in a image that represents a real estate ad. This would provide a deeper understanding of the symbols that appear in a real estate ad that the eye is drawn to.  Contribution of the thesis: Today real estate ads posted by marketers on Instagram is very similar. Our study shows that it´s the small symbolic alterations that have an impact on the consumer's perception of the hyperreality presented.

SKAM (”Shame”) is a Norwegian WebTV-series which portrays several youths during their time in high school. Each season addresses a new main character whom treats or is subjected to the feeling of shame. The WebTV-series is unique in its way of not being shown on the traditional television. Instead the series is shown on the digital play-service NRK and SKAM’s own blog. SKAM is transmedia in its way of using social platforms to expand and give new perspectives and stories to the fictional world. For example, the characters obtain authentic Instagram profiles where the viewers can to comment, like or follow the characters. The aim of this study was thus to explore what kind of relationship between fans establish with the fictional characters of SKAM when using transmedia storytelling and why they interact with the phenomenon’s social platforms. The paper also examines in which way SKAM is using transmedia storytelling. The paper is restricted to the platform Instagram and an audience segment called “fans”. This due to the time restriction for the paper to dictated as well as “fans” being the most exploited to extend a fictional world in form of social and cultural activities. The scientific questions attempt to be answered by interviewing a focus group along with carrying out a semiotic image analysis. The results showed that the way SKAM was using the transmedia storytelling in a realistic manner which created a similar form of hyperreality in which parasocial relationship and emotional realism could be formed. This due to Instagram being already an integrated platform in the fans lifestyles. The integrated platform along with the similar hyperreality allows the fans to interact or have the illusion to interact with the characters in a manner which portrays them as social friends. Creating a social bond from the fans to the characters. The characters Instagram profiles portrays in a realistic manner with text and pictures. Their problems, emotions and lifestyle creates a solid connotation to the audience. Making the fans laugh, cry and feel with the characters and wanting to engage in their life. The transmedia storytelling lets the fans engage with the character and letting new perspective of their realistic lives being portrayed. Creating parasocial and emotional realism.

本論文以後現代符號與真實的關係，重新檢視色情的概念，並由此提出不同於傳統色情研究的問題意識。本論文由色情的再現出發進行延伸思考，認為色情在內部特性、發展歷程、與社會文化脈絡等不同因素作用下，已逐漸由代表現實的再現，走向符號獨立運作的擬象，因此色情必須要重新定義為：一個以性與身體為元素，營造真實的符號模型。此時色情中的性與身體脫離了與真實的指涉，而在模型的運作中成為大量製造、流通的符號，但其實質內涵卻在其中消失，形成一種後現代的猥褻。人們在後現代的色情中，轉而為符號的過度真實所吸引，使對性與身體的慾望被對真實的慾望所取代。然而在刻意追求真實的同時，人們反因此陷入了色情的符號模型中，不斷要消費符號、從中得到真實感的刺激，擬仿運作就此更為劇烈，性與身體的擬象也滲入一般日常生活範疇。透過理論詮釋、個案分析，筆者在論文逐步鋪陳新的色情論述，主張色情的符號模型已成為當前真實運作的典型，因為在符號的強勢作為下，猥褻已成為一般的情境，真實則成為人們主要的慾望；此時色情與真實關係的舊提問，出現了極不同的回應方式與關懷重點。在論文最後，筆者歸納出對後現代色情與猥褻所發展的論點，陳述當前文化情境中符號、慾望、真實之間的關係，並就此提出批判與反思的可能。

Aquesta tesi presenta un proposta teòrica per analitzar la ciutat i la seva transformació; d'una ciutat planificada, continguda en els seus murs, de pedra i de maó, lligada al temps i a l'espai a una ciutat desbocada i planetària, en xarxa, fragmentada, sense geografia ni història, infovirtual generada per les TIC. La tesi es divideix en tres grans blocs. Per una banda, en el primer bloc, es presenta la 'ciutat projectada' que recull la idea fonamental que la ciutat ha estat construïda tant amb els fils de !'instrumental físic com amb el de les idees. D'altra banda, un segon bloc, titulat la 'ciutat realitzada' on s'exposen algunes de les teories d'aproximació a la ciutat moderna i contemporània fent especial èmfasi en les teories de la ciutat lligades a l'espectacle i el consum. Per últim, el tercer bloc, gira al voltant de la noció de 'ciutat hiperrealitzada'; una ciutat infovirtual que accelera i emfasitza els atributs de la ciutat contemporània. La ciutat queda fragmentada a bocins mentre la línia entre realitat i il•lusió s'aprima. La ciutat hiperrealitzada és el reflex d'una nova manera de pensar. / Esta tesis presenta una propuesta teórica para analizar la ciudad y su transformación; de una ciudad planificada, contenida en sus muros, de piedra y de ladrillo, atada al tiempo y al espacio a una ciudad desbocada y planetaria, en red, fragmentada, sin geografía ni historia, infovirtual generada por las TIC. La tesis se divide en tres grandes bloques. Por un lado, en el primer bloque, se presenta la 'ciudad proyectada' que recoge la idea fundamental que la ciudad ha sido construida tanto con los hilos del instrumental físico como con el de las ideas. Por otro lado, un segundo bloque, titulado la 'ciudad realizada' en la cual se exponen algunas de las teorías que nos aproximan a la ciudad moderna y contemporánea remarcando muy especialmente las teorías sobre la ciudad vinculadas al espectáculo y al consumo. Por último, el tercer bloque, gira alrededor de la noción de 'ciudad hiperrealizada'; una ciudad infovirtual que acelera y acentúa los atributos de la ciudad contemporánea. La ciudad queda fragmentada en pedazos y aparece una nueva manera de pensar a tono con el pensamiento contemporáneo que adelgaza la línea entre realidad y la ilusión. / This thesis presents a theoretical framework for the analysis of the city in its transformation; from a planned city, contained within its walls, made of mortar and stone and settled in time and space, to an unbridled, planet-wide city, networked, fragmented, unbound from geography and history, infovirtual and ICT-generated. The thesis is divided in three sections. The first one introduces the "projected city", reviews the fundamental idea that a city is built with physical tools as much as it is built with ideas. The second section, titled the "realized city", puts forward some theories to approach the modern, contemporary city, making special emphasis in models that deal with the concepts of entertainment and consumerism in the city. The third and last section pertains to the "hyperrealized city"; an infovirtual city that speeds up and brings out all the qualities of the contemporary city. The city itself is shattered, and a new way of thinking about it is born, all while the line between reality and illusion gets ever thinner.