A Name to Come

                                                                                                                       PLEASE PLAY WITH SOUND!    

               "A Name to Come" is a text-based game that functions as an interactive literary analysis of William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying". At the start of the game, the player finds themself in the middle of a nightmare and cannot remember who they are. The player is asked a series of questions that explore different mental states, ways of being, desires. etc.  Each answer represents one of the six Bundren family members (excluding Addie Bundren). The game keeps track of answers selected and will provide a unique ending depending on the player's choices. The player answers from 7 to 9 questions. Question 8 is unlocked if there is a tie. If the tie is not resolved, question 9 resolves it. There are six unique endings based on the six  Bundren family members. Each ending gives a little glimpse into where the characters might be after the novel's ending. A carefully selected folk/blues song from the period will play depending on which character ending has been reached.

               This project is an attempt to have the player view Faulkner's seminal novel through a personal/interactive lens.  It is my hope that this will enable the player to better engage with the text and its characters. The game begins with a nightmare that has bestowed temporary amnesia onto the player. This is a direct reference to Dewey Dell's recounting of her amnesiac nightmare in the text. By answering questions, the player navigates the emotional and symbolic matrices of As I Lay Dying, and in so doing, construct makeshift identities for the characters of the novel as well as themself. This recovering and restructuring of identity parallels Dewey’s awakening from her dream; it also mirrors the attempts made by multiple characters throughout the novel at reclaiming their agency and sense of self. The game asks the player to relate to the Bundrens on a personal level, and in so doing, to bridge the gap between themselves and the text. The game, simultaneously, attempts to close the gap between literature and Computer Science. 

 

 

Side note: The game rewards multiple playthroughs. Please play through it more than once if you can!