Blogs have become a fast growing and influential medium of high cultural and social importance. Different kinds of texts are spread throughout the internet and become accessible for all cultural and ethnic groups.
Since most blogs feature a comment section discussion about meaning becomes possible. As a result, readers are able to communicate directly with the author and discuss the content with him or
her as well as among each other.
One social group in particular that is getting more and more involved with this new medium are inmates in the United States. As they begin to explore and use blogging for expressing thoughts and ideas, it becomes increasingly evident that this is clearly not an invention of the digital age but rather a literary tradition that is revived and continued by blogging inmates.
In my thesis, I will show how these prison blogs have revived prison literature by “techno-social” means (Raffl, Hofkirchner, Fuchs, Schafranek The Web as Techno-Social System: The Emergence of Web 3.0) that allow a direct exchange between reader and author.
I will also show how certain themes of prison literature are taken up by prison blogs and, at the same time, transferred or adapted to this digital medium by doing close readings and literary analyses.
In the end, I will have substantiated my claim by pointing out parallels in themes and approaches as well as mechanisms of influence and social interaction that all together made for a cross-media revival of prison literature.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Prison Literature
2.1. 1960s - 1980s
2.2. Social Interaction
2.3. Themes and Patterns
2.3.1. Reminiscence, Trauma and Identity
2.3.2. Reading, Writing and Identity
3. Prison Blogs
3.1. Techno-social character
3.1.1. Expectations
3.1.2. Q&A
3.2. Process and Immediacy
3.2.1. The Act of Writing
3.2.2. The Perception of Time
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines how prison blogs have revitalized prison literature by enabling a two-way communication channel that overcomes the traditional limitations of the medium. The study investigates the thematic parallels between historical prison literature and contemporary web-based inmate writings to substantiate the claim of a cross-media literary revival.
- Evolution of prison literature from the 1960s to the 1980s
- Techno-social characteristics of digital prison communication
- Intertextuality and self-reflection in inmate-authored texts
- Impact of the "two-way channel" on reader-author dynamics
- Challenges of immediacy and time perception in prison blogging
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1. Reminiscence, Trauma and Identity
The first text is called “The Ball Park” and was written by inmate Henry Johnson. In this text, the author apparently describes a series of scenes and events from his own childhood and, shifting midway-through the story, boyhood in a very detailed manner. By using the first-person narrative perspective, e.g. “I jump up and down in the bleachers”, the author provides an indication of the reliability as well as of the reference to a potentially autobiographical reality (Chevigny 226). He also indicates that the first-person narrator is, in fact, himself and that the events described in fact happened to him or rather that he witnessed them which allows him to give a full account.
In the beginning of the story, the author uses the present tense despite the obvious fact that the events he is describing must have occurred sometime in the past. Interestingly enough he then switches to past-tense as he moves forward in time and gives a specific number that allows the reader to put the plot into a rough temporal sequence or frame. He does so by sequently stating: “… stand in line like I did when I was six …” and “At twelve, my brother had the touch …” (Chevigny 226).
Johnson introduces the story with a description of a more general childhood memory that is, to a lesser extent than the following passages, not connected to any specific date or occasion but rather to an emotional concept. This concept is characterized by mostly positive and peaceful (in some way even trivial) images and a metaphorical language. The following examples prove this: “lots of sunshine … blue sky stretched tight as a military sheet … the smell of cooked onions …” (Chevigny 226). It is important to note that the second descriptive phrase seems to anticipate the things to come later on in the story. It does so by almost casually placing a comparatively awkward comparison into the otherwise harmonic and positive description. The insertion of this comparison serves as a distractive element by being embedded into the list of positive images almost in a subtle way since it fits in linguistically and is not elaborated any further. The term “military” hints at a rather negative (maybe even traumatic) event the narrator will eventually mention later on.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the thesis topic of prison literature's revival through digital blogging and defines the scope of the investigation.
2. Prison Literature: Explores the history of the genre between the 1960s and 1980s, analyzing recurring themes like identity, trauma, and social interaction.
2.1. 1960s - 1980s: Discusses the literary zenith of the era and the societal factors that influenced the prestige of prison narratives.
2.2. Social Interaction: Examines literature as a two-way communication channel between inmates and society.
2.3. Themes and Patterns: Focuses on the structural and thematic motifs in prison writings that facilitate self-reflection.
2.3.1. Reminiscence, Trauma and Identity: Analyzes specific texts by Henry Johnson and C. Kaye Ferguson to demonstrate how traumatic pasts are processed through narrative.
2.3.2. Reading, Writing and Identity: Investigates the intertextual influence of reading and writing on the self-identity of imprisoned authors.
3. Prison Blogs: Introduces Jon's Jail Journal as a case study for evaluating contemporary digital prison literature.
3.1. Techno-social character: Explains how the blogosphere functions as a technological extension of pre-existing social systems.
3.1.1. Expectations: Analyzes reader comments to understand how audiences perceive and interact with prison blog entries.
3.1.2. Q&A: Studies the interactive Q&A format as a prime example of the "techno-social" dialogue between author and reader.
3.2. Process and Immediacy: Explores the logistical realities and communicative constraints of writing from within a prison.
3.2.1. The Act of Writing: Describes the physical and technological challenges faced by inmates when documenting their daily lives.
3.2.2. The Perception of Time: Discusses how the unique perception of time in prison affects the frequency and immediacy of digital publications.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and provides an outlook on the potential future synthesis of traditional books and digital blogging platforms.
5. Works Cited: Lists the academic, literary, and digital sources referenced in the study.
Keywords
Prison Literature, Web 2.0, Blogging, Social Interaction, Techno-social system, Inmate narratives, Digital communication, Intertextuality, Autobiography, Trauma, Identity, Immediacy, Prison reform, Reader-author dialogue, Jon's Jail Journal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
This paper explores the revival of traditional prison literature in the United States through the emergence of digital prison blogs and the social interactions they foster.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work centers on the intersection of personal identity and imprisonment, the role of trauma in narrative, the impact of the "techno-social" web on communication, and the evolution of reading habits among inmates.
What is the main research question or objective?
The research aims to determine how prison blogs act as a modern vehicle for prison literature and whether they successfully create a two-way communication channel that historical media (like books) could not fully achieve.
Which scientific methods are utilized in this analysis?
The author employs a qualitative approach, primarily utilizing "close reading" and literary analysis of selected memoirs and weblog entries to identify recurring patterns and thematic structures.
What topics are addressed in the main part of the thesis?
The main part covers the history of prison writing during the 1960s-80s, the analysis of specific inmate narratives to uncover trauma patterns, and an evaluation of digital blogs as tools for social exchange and identity construction.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Prison Literature, Blogging, Techno-social system, Inmate narratives, Social interaction, Digital communication, and Identity.
How does the physical environment of the prison influence the "act of writing" for these bloggers?
The thesis reveals that because inmates lack direct internet access, they must produce texts using primitive means—such as pencil and paper—relying on third parties to digitize and publish their thoughts, creating a unique "intermediary" process.
How do prison bloggers handle the "perception of time" in their writing?
Due to the specific conditions of incarceration, inmates experience a shifted perception of time where a few days may feel like months, which significantly impacts the frequency of their blog posts and challenges the traditional concept of "immediacy" associated with web content.
- Quote paper
- Sebastian Matkey (Author), 2010, Blogging Behind Bars, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/168030
