Perhaps literate programs shine when they help us build that mental map. One way is positively describing parts of the map with metaphor or intent (where the OP

Perhaps literate programs shine when they help us build that mental map. One way is positively describing parts of the map with metaphor or intent (where the OP shines). Another way is by discussing alternatives that weren't used. Yes, this can be a lot of content and sometimes crowds out the code, as in this example.