Why We Are Angry: Rearticulating Fisher's Narrative Paradigm with Interactivity and Hypertext

Abstract

In December 2012, the brutal gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in New Delhi, India sparked international outrage leading to numerous protests. Singh’s story raised many questions regarding sexual violence and rape culture in India. We Are Angry is a digital narrative that responds to sexual assault and misogyny in India through the story of a victim whose tragedy mirrors that of Singh and many others. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the rhetorical potential of digital narratives through the analysis of We Are Angry. Specifically, I used Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm as a lens to determine how the use of hypertext impacts the narrative’s inherent rationality, fidelity, and coherence. This thesis illustrates that digital narratives’ use of hypertext allows the creator to develop a narrative in a way that can expand the reader’s knowledge on prominent international social justice issues. Hypertext further enhances the level of fidelity and coherence for a reader who may not be familiar with the Indian setting.