Authors and readers have been in conflict since the invention of writing, battling over the right to interpret a written document. This has artificially split these two institutions, a split divided between those who have the power and money to publish their words to a mass audience and those whose words have been repressed by that publishing system.
This thesis examines how hypertext and other digital technologies empower readers to reclaim some of the functions historically granted to authors. Through blogs, interactive Web sites, and electronic literatures, readers assume a larger role in the creative process. However, with more power comes more danger for manipulation.
Authors have also changed with digital technology, becoming more canny with the rise of electronic text. Readers may have more freedoms, but they must now also face more mediation and manipulation that is outside their control. This thesis determines that although the gap between authors and readers is narrowing, many of the old conflicts are too ingrained to ever be settled.