Narrative Structures and Reader Agency in Hypertext Fiction: A Comparative Analysis of selected literary texts

Hypertext fiction represents a radical departure from traditional storytelling, challenging the conventions of linear narrative and static authorship. This paper investigates the narrative structures and reader agency within this innovative literary form, focusing on Michael Joyce’s Afternoon, a Story and Shelley Jackson’s Patchwork Girl. By engaging with reader-response theory and integrating insights from digital media scholars such as Espen Aarseth, N. Katherine Hayles, and Roland Barthes, the study explores how hypertext fiction empowers readers to navigate fragmented, non-linear narratives and actively construct meaning. Through an in-depth analysis of the mechanics of hypertext, including the function of hyperlinks and narrative fragmentation, the research examines the interplay between textual structure and reader agency. The findings reveal how hypertext fiction redefines authorship, transforming it into a collaborative and decentralized process, while offering new interpretative possibilities that challenge traditional notions of narrative coherence, identity, and interpretation. This study positions hypertext fiction as a pivotal form in the evolving landscape of digital storytelling, shedding light on its capacity to reshape literary practices and reader engagement in the digital age.