An entry in NaNoGenMo 2015.
This program can be used to swap the names and gendered pronouns of characters in a novel to experience the book from a different perspective.
The program creates multiple versions of a book:
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Opposite: where all the characters have been swapped to a version of themselves using the opposite pronouns.
She was a remarkably handsome woman dark, aquiline, and moustached–evidently the woman of whom I had heard.
Oh, he has turned all the women’s heads down in that part. He is the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet.
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They: where all the characters have been swapped to a version of themselves using they pronouns.
Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of their own high-power lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as their. And yet there was but one person to them, and that person was the late Eren Adler, of dubious and questionable memory.
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She: where all the characters have been swapped to a version of themselves using she pronouns.
I entered my consulting-room and found a gentlewoman seated by the table. She was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a soft cloth cap which she had laid down upon my books. Round one of herr hands she had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all over with bloodstains. She was young, not more than five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, feminine face; but she was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a woman who was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all herr strength of mind to control.
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He: where all the characters have been swapped to a version of themselves using he pronouns.
One night — it was in June, ’89 — there came a ring to my bell, about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the clock. I sat up in my chair, and my husband laid his needle-work down in his lap and made a little face of disappointment. “A patient!” said he. “You’ll have to go out.” I groaned, for I was newly come back from a weary day. We heard the door open, a few hurried words, and then quick steps upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lord, clad in some dark-coloured stuff, with a black veil, entered the room. “You will excuse my calling so late”, he began, and then, suddenly losing his self-control, he ran forward, threw his arms about my husband’s neck, and sobbed upon his shoulder. “Oh, I’m in such trouble!” he cried; “I do so want a little help.” “Why,” said my husband, pulling up his veil, “it is Kyle Whitney. How you startled me, Kyle! I had not an idea who you were when you came in.” “I didn’t know what to do, so I came straight to you.” That was always the way. Folk who were in grief came to my husband like birds to a light-house.
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Skin Color: the text is modified and augmented to create a version where the characters have different skin colors. These texts are created in the same folder and named Reskinned_(pronoun)_(book name).txt
He opened a locket and showed us the full bronzed face of a very lovely man. It was not a photograph but an ebony miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the exquisite mouth.
"Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long thin caramel legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen.
To change the book to be analyzed, create a folder for the book and add the book as a text file to that folder. Create a names folder inside the book folder and add four name csv files to that folder with the character names and the name changes you'd like, and create a python file similar to holmesSwap.py in the book folder. Change the file name text in the main function in the python file to the name of the book, and run the program. The program takes around 30 minutes to complete.
This and all associated files of various formats can be found at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661
This and all associated files of various formats can be found at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84
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Copyright 2015 Emily Daniels
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