And/Or: A Novel
Johannah Rodgers
Action¹
fall in love fall in love fall in love
Reaction¹
break up get married live together
Action²—
get back together have kids do not have kids
sex change married wrong person professional miscue
bankruptcy mental breakdown higher degrees
succeed in business political career travel
Reaction²—
break up get divorced have affair
lose money disinherit children make money
change identity find religion relocate
second career jail disease
Resolution(a)
live happily ever after live compromised lives life completely unexamined
Resolution(b)
die young die old alzheimer’s
Note: And/Or: A Novel can be read horizontally and vertically and in several different combinations of the two. Horizontal reading assumes the inclusion of an “or”; vertical reading requires the unarticulated presence of an “and.” It is also possible to read the novel vertically by selecting actions/reactions from different columns. In addition, Action²— / Reaction²— can be read/re-read, selecting one action from any one row and one reaction from any other row until an appropriate time for the introduction of a resolution presents itself.