Interactive Storytelling and Digital Narratives in Contemporary Literature: A Postmodern Analysis

Abstract

This study examines the role of digital narratives and interactive storytelling in contemporary literature, with a focus on a postmodern perspective. As digital technologies evolve, they challenge traditional linear storytelling by introducing innovative forms that integrate interactivity and multimedia elements. In the postmodern literary context, where norms are constantly deconstructed, digital narratives provide a space for both authors and readers to explore new storytelling methods, where the reader's agency is key. Interactive storytelling, as seen in hypertext fiction, digital novels, and online narratives, allows readers to influence the story by making choices that alter its direction and outcome. This shift from passive consumption to active engagement reflects postmodern themes of fragmentation, multiplicity, and subjectivity, which resonate in both digital formats and postmodern thought. By analyzing significant works that merge digital media with narrative structures, this paper explores how interactive storytelling challenges traditional notions of authorship, agency, and meaning. It also investigates how these digital texts subvert conventional narrative forms, providing a more immersive and personalized experience. Ultimately, the study seeks to demonstrate how digital narratives and interactive storytelling not only reflect postmodern ideals but also reshape the future of literary form and reader involvement in an increasingly digital world.