As a young reader I was consistently encouraged to read 'books'. In the summer holidays I remember taking part in a reading programme where every week we would record how many books or the number of pages we had read. Consequently, I became accustomed to the physical materiality of the novel and reliant on the linear narrative characteristic of many novels. Hence, when confronted with many of the digital texts dealt with in the ENGL242 course I was completely blown out of the water; the things I had become to depend on when reading were stolen from me!

However, a component of the course has enabled me to enjoy the linear pattern of reading a conventional novel that I enjoy so much. Initially the concept of immersion seemed relatively straightforward; "the sense of being surrounded by a completely other reality" (Murray 1997). When subjected to this theory I had a realization: "Oh yeah that does happen when I'm reading a good book" - as though everything clicked into place and suddenly made sense!

Following this enlightening lecture on immersion I seem more eager to read my unadventurous medium of the novel, and appear to enjoy it much more. I think the reason for this is that now I am aware that when reading - as Murray says - I am surrounded by a complete other reality. Now I am not attempting to say that while being immersed in a novel I can also realize I am immersed - as I agree with the argument that if this occurs a reader is not immersed - but rather, after a period of time reading a novel I am aware that my mind was completely filled with imaginations of the events, people, settings described in the story. Hence, because I am now aware that when I read I am totally absorbed in the fictional world of my novel, and this to me is an incredible form of entertainment, I feel like my reading is more enjoyable and I have an increased desire to read.