evaporating-text

Hypothesis

We hypothesize that a novel, under the right circumstances, can evaporate.

Apparatus

• Python 2.7.6 (probably works with older versions too)
• An input text — possibly a pre-cleaned text file previously downloaded from Project Gutenberg

Method

• Collect all the sentences and count them: s is the number of sentences.
• In each sentence, erase words. The probability of a word being erased is n/s where n is the sentence number;.the first sentence is numbered 0.

Observations

When run on Voltaire's "Candide": at the beginning...

I HOW CANDIDE WAS BROUGHT UP IN A MAGNIFICENT CASTLE, AND HOW HE WAS EXPELLED THENCE.

In a castle of Westphalia, belonging to the Baron of Thunder-ten-Tronckh, lived a youth, whom nature had endowed with the most gentle manners.

His countenance was a true picture of his soul.

He combined a true judgment with simplicity of spirit, which was the reason, I apprehend, of his being called Candide.

Near the middle...

"The officer, to embrace the King, and to him on each cheek." themselves round his Majesty's

received them with the goodness imaginable, and politely them to supper.

waiting they were shown city, raised as the places ornamented thousand fountains of water, those of liqueurs from incessantly flowing into great squares, which paved with precious which off fragrancy like that of cloves and cinnamon.

asked to see the court of justice,

told him had and that they were

He they any answered no.

But surprised gave him the pleasure of thousand feet and filled with instruments employed in mathematics and

Near three-quarters through...

is goes as

Upon arrival at Venice, Cacambo the ladies

He day inquire ships

news of

"What!" to "I have time to Paris to Dieppe, Dieppe to cross spend

Parisian

is but die.

And near the end.

Pangloss

Candide

nothing of it.

you than

philosophising