Metafictional Aspects in Novels by Muriel Spark

Examination Thesis , 2002 , 60 Pages , Grade: 1,0 (A)

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

ANYTHING WRITTEN IN ENGLISH IS A LIE

Anything written in English is a lie. This is by no means a new idea, with many people having given thought and expression to it (recently and rather extensively so, for instance, Jeanette Winterson). One way to handle this sentence is to relate it to the idea that something written can never be reality. That then, though, some things written (or only fictional texts?; or even fictional texts?; or anything produced?) might have a reality of their own, and that finally these realities might be part of another, larger and encompassing reality – they might. There need not be such a larger idea beyond things. All novelists have been faced with the question of how to deal with this multilayered reality, novels that deal with it explicitly being called metafictional novels. Metafictional literature has come up with innumerable ways of handling and playing with the notion of what is being real and what fictitious.
Anything written in English is a lie. This sentence is also putting into other words the famous paradox of the Cretan stating that all Cretans are liars. For with both, as with many other paradoxes, the paradox is a result of the statement′s self-reference. Since the statement is written in English, it denies its own truth, which it actually does not if it is a lie – it would stop being a lie then, though. Any attempt to solve the paradox will end in moving in circles. The only way not to go insane when trying to find a solution is to accept that the sentence is made up and that it cannot be true in terms of our familiar logic. Once we view it as artificial, as something that has been made up to be not solvable (which need not be the case), we adopt another perspective and for instance allow ourselves to be entertained by contemplating paradoxes.
Confronted with any paradoxical or otherwise inexplicable situation human beings still feel an urge to ascribe explanations and reasons to it and often turn to religion, commonplace theories or superstition to find them. Religions explain how the Earth came into existence. If we drop a cup or spill hot milk, it happened because our boss was being a strain. If we got an unjustified salary rise, the stars would have favoured us. A religious woman might regard it as God’s punishment when she falls in love with her husband’s lover. Seldom are we at a loss for an explanation which we may well believe in but which cannot be proved to be causative...

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• ANYTHING WRITTEN IN ENGLISH IS A LIE
• METAFICTION
• WHAT'S SPARK GOT TO DO WITH IT
  • NARRATORS ARE LICENCED LIARS ...
    • OVERT AND HIDDEN FICTITIOUSNESS
      • The Comforters
      • Loitering with Intent
      • A Far Cry from Kensington
    • PLOTTING, BLACKMAILING AND PLAYING GOD
  • ... AND OBLIGED ONES AT THAT: POETIC VISION
  • GOD AUTHOR AND HUMAN CHARACTERS AND READERS
  • SPARK'S POST-MODERNISM
    • GOD, THE AUTHOR, AND HUMAN BEINGS
    • RELIGION AND FAITH
    • IRONY AND SATIRE: IT'S NOT ALL YOU
• CONCLUSION
• LIST OF WORKS CITED AND CONSULTED

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the metafictional aspects in Muriel Spark's novels, particularly focusing on how she handles the complex relationship between fiction and reality. The aim is to explore the various ways in which Spark uses metafictional devices to engage with the paradoxical nature of storytelling, and to analyze how her work reflects a unique blend of postmodernism, religious themes, and social commentary.

• Metafiction and the Blur Between Reality and Fiction
• The Role of the Author as a "Licenced Liar" and the Ethics of Storytelling
• The Interplay of God, Author, and Characters
• The Importance of Irony and Satire in Spark's Works
• Religious Themes and the Influence of Roman Catholicism

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The first chapter examines the paradoxical statement "Anything written in English is a lie" and its implications for understanding the nature of fiction. It introduces the concept of metafiction and its relationship to the blurring of reality and fiction in literature. The chapter also explores the self-referentiality of language and the role of paradoxes in Spark's works.
• The second chapter dives deeper into the concept of metafiction and analyzes how Spark utilizes this technique in her novels. It focuses on the role of narrators as "licensed liars," exploring how Spark uses overt and hidden fictiveness to challenge reader expectations and engage with the complexities of storytelling.
• The third chapter explores the interplay between God, the author, and human characters in Spark's novels. It analyzes how Spark's use of metafictional devices highlights the artistic power of the author, drawing parallels between the author's role and the Christian concept of God's role in creating and shaping the world.
• The fourth chapter delves into the specific examples of metafiction in Spark's novels, focusing on the examples of "The Comforters," "Loitering with Intent," and "A Far Cry from Kensington." It analyzes how these novels utilize self-referentiality, unreliable narrators, and other metafictional elements to create a unique and engaging reading experience.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include metafiction, fiction, reality, self-reference, paradox, author, narrator, reader, God, religion, Roman Catholicism, irony, satire, "The Comforters," "Loitering with Intent," "A Far Cry from Kensington," Muriel Spark.

• College: University of Leipzig (Institute for Anglistics)
• Grade: 1,0 (A)
• Author: Gesa Giesing (Author)
• Publication Year: 2002
• Pages: 60
• Catalog Number: V28614
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638303460
• Language: English
• Tags: Metafictional, Aspects, Novels, Muriel, Spark