An Anatomy
of Anchors

[36] Larsen, D. Marble Springs, Watertown, MA: Eastgate Systems, 1993. (aesthetic)

Text Menu




Marble Springs uses a connecting series of anchors (iconic, graphic, and text) to explore connections between women in a small mining and ranching town in the Colorado Rockies between 1853 and 1935.

Maps

Three maps (the valley, town, and graveyard) show physical locations of the denizens of Marble Springs. The house anchors either go directly to the character or connection card or provide a choice of characters who live in the house.


Screenshot used by permission. This is not an anchor, but an icon showing the place of the action--a different paper, perhaps

The location and epitaphs on the graves provide vital and tantalizing clues about the denizens:


Screenshot used by permission. This is not an anchor, but an icon showing the place of the action--a different paper, perhaps

Embedded text

Character cards provide a short poem about the character, along with biographical information in the title, margins for readers to scribble in, and bibliographic references to historical sources. The embedded text links are highlighted thematic connotative connections to other characters or go to popups for more information.


Screenshot used by permission. This is not an anchor, but an icon showing the place of the action--a different paper, perhaps

Note that the anchors do not differentiate between explanatory popups and embedded text connections.


Screenshot used by permission. This is not an anchor, but an icon showing the place of the action--a different paper, perhaps

Graphics

Like BBC [4] each graphic also functions as an anchor. Where the BBC graphic anchors echo the text, Marble Springs anchors serve as hidden doorways to subconscious connections to other characters. This is covertly similar to the anchoral tactics used in 25 Ways to Close a Photograph [41].

Icons

Marble Springs uses an iconic menu on the left side to show various navigational and interaction possibilities:

  • The eye icon provides a directory of denizens: a denotative list of names and titles
  • The compass opens the map series
  • The questions provide directions on reading and writing to the work
  • Stop quits the reading
  • Next and previous hands direct readers to cards that are next and previous in the stack
  • The down hand directs readers back to the previously read card: a homoanchoral anchor. that takes the place of the back button on a web browser. (note that this work was created before web browsers).
  • The skeleton key icon opens a series of connection cards. Each character has a corresponding connection card with anchors that depict and connect to her circle of acquaintances, lovers, friends, and enemies. Relations are depicted with patterned lines. Institutions such as Cole's Mercantile also have connection cards depicting who visits the place.


Screenshot used by permission.