Why do I nurture a style that David Foster Wallace purportedly exploded in the late 1980s, that is derided by most literary theorists as passé, that people tend to agree serves no worldly, moral purpose other than to draw attention to the writer’s own navel? "Metareference across Media: The Concept, its Transmedial Potentials and Problems, Main Forms and Functions". Therefore, this scene features metafictional elements with reference to the medium (the novel), the form of art (literature), a genre (realism), and arguably also lays bare the fictionality of the characters and thus of the novel itself (which could be classified as critical, direct, fiction-centred metafiction). Great post on a great topic. Historiographic metafiction is a term coined by Canadian literary theorist Linda Hutcheon in the late 1980s. Third, he alludes to the notion that the capabilities of literature have been exhausted, and thus to the idea of the death of the novel (all of this is explicit, critical indirect metafiction). But that's just the point: there've been such a fantastic number of novels written in the past couple of centuries that they've just about exhausted the possibilities of life. ►Intertextually is being able understanding previous literary works. Three differences-- Lukacs¡¦s belief the three major defining characteristics of historical novel: She connects these characteristics to the “implied teachings” (105) of historiographic metafiction, reminding readers that this genre asserts that history and fiction are historical terms that change in meaning as quickly as history itself (105). Second, he talks about the mimetic aspect of realist novels. A story that features itself (as a narrative or as a physical object) as its own prop or MacGuffin e.g. These techniques often appear in combination, but also can appear singularly. Metafiction, noun: Fiction in which the author self-consciously alludes to the artificiality or literariness of a work by parodying or departing from novelistic conventions and traditional narrative techniques. —But now I am talking of beginning a book, and have long had a thing upon my mind to be imparted to the reader, which if not imparted now, can never be imparted to him as long as I live (whereas the COMPARISON may be imparted to him any hour of the day)—I'll just mention it, and begin in good earnest. This new understanding of the medium led to a major change in the approach toward fiction. So all of us, you see, are really enacting events that have already been written about in some novel or other.[20]. Through the lack of context to this sudden change of topic (writing a book is not a plot point, nor does this scene take place at the beginning of the novel, where such a scene might be more willingly accepted by the reader) the metafictional reflection is foregrounded. That of all the several ways of beginning a book which are now in practice throughout the known world, I am confident my own way of doing it is the best—I'm sure it is the most religious—for I begin with writing the first sentence—and trusting to Almighty God for the second.[19]. The epilogue itself is what makes this text a metafiction, rather than a novel with metafictional asides. metafiction. Metafiction (2) Fiction which consciously draws attention to its status as an artifact (an object made by humans, esp. This paradoxical transgression of narrative boundaries is called metalepsis, an implicitly metafictional device when used in literature. Although metafiction is most commonly associated with postmodern literature that developed in the mid-20th Century, its use can be traced back to much earlier works of fiction, such as Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1387), Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote (1605), Laurence Sterne's The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759), William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair (1847), as well as more recent works such as Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) and Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves (2000). Since there is always a relationship between the text in which indirect metafiction occurs and the referenced external texts or issues, indirect metafiction always impacts the text one is reading, albeit in an indirect way. Well, then, consider that before the novel emerged as the dominant literary form, narrative literature dealt only with the extraordinary or the allegorical – with kings and queens, giants and dragons, sublime virtue and diabolic evil. Direct metafiction establishes a reference within the text one is just reading. It contains multiple references to the process involved in writing a convincing piece of fiction, evidence for which can be found in the novel proper. 'Metafiction' might have consolidated its place in the criticallexis as a descriptor of postmodern fictional preoccupations, but few commentators have proposed the absolute novelty of literary self-consciousness. Some say that it’s related to the postmodern philosophy. Metafiction often employs intertextual references and allusions by . Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Janus-Headed Postmodernism: The Opening Lines of, "The metafictional, liminal, lyrical ways of writer Carmen Maria Machado", "Little Book with Big Ambitions: Rita Indiana's "Tentacle, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metafiction&oldid=1004290165, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from September 2009, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Heginbotham, Thomas "The Art of Artifice: Barth, Barthelme and the metafictional tradition" (2009), Levinson, Julie, "Adaptation, Metafiction, Self-Creation,". With intricate plot, the novel is regarded as a compelling historiographic metafiction in contemporary British literature. But as is often the case with artistic movements, postmodern literature is commonly defined in relation to its precursor. The scene evokes an explicitly metafictional response to the problem (and by addressing a problem of the novel one is just reading but also a general problem the excerpt is thus an example of both direct and indirect metafiction, which may additionally be classified as generally media-centred, non-critical metafiction). Concept. In doing so, metafiction allows us to reflect on why we tell stories and if stories can get at a higher “Truth” than fact can. In this scene Tristram Shandy, the eponymous character and narrator of the novel, foregrounds the process of creating literature as he interrupts his previous thought and begins to talk about the beginnings of books. ►Paranoia it is an assumption that … These techniques often appear in combination, but also can appear singularly. Metafiction does not only expose the process of creativity, but it also reflects the dilemma surrounding its nature. While all metafiction somehow deals with the medial quality of fiction or narrative and is thus generally media-centred, in some cases there is an additional focus on the truthfulness or inventedness (fictionality) of a text, which merits mention as a specific form. 5. First, the speaker, Adam Appleby (the protagonist of the novel) discusses the change the rise of the novel brought upon the literary landscape, specifically with regards to thematic changes that occurred. well-established literary characteristics it describes. In doing so, metafiction allows us to reflect on why we tell stories and if stories can get at a higher “Truth” than fact can. Metafiction can be defined as a way of writing, or more precisely still as a way of consciously manipulating fictional structures, of playing games with fiction. Cervantes, Miguel. The suggestion of a story being authentic (a device frequently used in realistic fiction) would be an example of (non-critical) truth-centred metafiction. Concept. I loved Watchmen and Interior Chinatown so much that they should probably appear on this favorites list, but I also wanted to share five older works of metafiction that initially ignited my love for this genre. 7. Metafiction can help. Historiographic metafiction is a term coined by Canadian literary theorist Linda Hutcheon in the late 1980s. ►Historiographic metafiction is used in novels that factionalize actual historical events and characters. Reality itself became regarded as a construct instead of an objective truth. The problem here is not merely that metafictional characteristics can be found [6], The term 'metafiction' was coined in 1970 by William H. Gass in his book Fiction and the Figures of Life. Who’s Afraid... Pastiche. A story … Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasizes its own constructedness in a way that continually reminds readers to be aware that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. This section was taken from Wikipedia:Metafiction 1. Explicit metafiction is described as a mode of telling. A novel about a person writing a novel 2. For example, a story that explores how stories are made by commenting on character types, how plots are formed, or other aspects of storytelling is … It relies more than other forms of metafiction on the reader's ability to recognize these devices in order to evoke a metafictional reading. Additionally, the narrator addresses readers directly, thereby confronting readers with the fact that they are reading a constructed text. Fiction about fiction is metafiction, which allow writers and readers to examine the trickiness of storytelling. These techniques often appear in combination, but also can appear singularly. The Eyre Affair (2001) is set in an alternative history in which it is possible to enter the world of a work of literature through the use of a machine. Metafiction and Satire . Metafiction is an attempt by a narrator to step outside of the story (although this is impossible — a narrator merely trades one fiction for another). This scene from The British Museum is Falling Down (1965) features several instances of metafiction. Others see the self-consciousness of fictional writing as a way to gain deeper understanding of the medium and a path that leads to innovation that resulted in the emergence of new forms of literature, such as the historiographic novel by Linda Hutcheon. The new principle became to create through the medium of language a world that does not reflect the real world. Postmodernism is all about ... Metafiction. Though such works don't always involve self-conscious narration, they are still classified as metafiction because they call attention to popular writing techniques and genres. Now, I know what you're going to say – you're going to say that the novelist still has to invent a lot. Copying a certain style of art to create something very different, these are usually author-illustrator... Story gaps. Metafiction can be defined as a way of writing, or more precisely still as ... cease to be novels when they do not display the defining characteristics of a novel, Has it ever occurred to you that novelists are using up experience at a dangerous rate? metafiction resembles anti-novels of the past through the attempt to appear experimental and unconventional, except when it depends on familiar conventions for parodic purposes. While metafiction isn’t new, it’s been more prevalent in the last few decades. Often has the goal of posing questions about the relationship between fiction and reality. Postmod… [16] The development toward metafictional writing in postmodernism generated mixed responses. Different from the previous studies centered on the idea of role reversal between characters or the analysis of sophisticated Irony isn't exclusive to postmodernism, but the pomos just own it. We can see this from the first chapter, in which Calvino addresses us as readers: "You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new … The problem here is not merely that metafictional characteristics can be found … A type of … Explicit metafiction is identifiable through its use of clear metafictional elements on the surface of a text. Metafiction often employs intertextual references and allusions by: examining fictional systems; incorporating aspects of both theory and criticism; creating biographies of imaginary writers; presenting and discussing fictional works of an imaginary character. Another prominent type of metafiction is literary parody or satire. Don Quixote. [10][11] Robert Scholes expands upon Gass' theory and identifies four forms of criticism on fiction, which he refers to as formal, behavioural, structural, and philosophical criticism. Werner Wolf, ed., in collaboration with Katharina Bantleon and Jeff Thoss. incorporating aspects of both theory and criticism, creating biographies of imaginary writers, presenting and discussing fictional works of an imaginary character, involving his or herself with fictional characters, openly questioning how narrative assumptions and conventions transform and filter reality, trying to ultimately prove that no singular truths or meanings exist, refusing to attempt to become "real life", subverting conventions to transform 'reality' into a highly suspect concept, flaunting and exaggerating foundations of their instability (Waugh 5), displaying reflexivity (the dimension present in all literary texts and also central to all literary analysis, a function which enables the reader to understand the processes by which he or she reads the world as a text). Characteristics Although characteristics of metafiction vary as widely as the spectrum of technique used within them, a pattern of several common traits can be traced.