The Greek prepositionµet?(“meta”), which in this context takes on the meaning of “about”, and the literary term “fiction”, which refers to literary work based on imagination, together constitute the term “metafiction”. From the start metafiction has been described as fiction “somehow about fiction itself”. First mentioned at the end of the 1950s, it was further defined throughout the following three decades. Although the term has only been coined in the second half of the 20th century, it is not new to literature. The fiction described can already be found in much older works, such as Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”, Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” and massively in Laurence Sterne’s “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”. Today, metafiction is also common in other creative genres and is primarily associated with postmodernism, which came up during the 1960s. Selfreflexive narrators especially appear in works of postmodern writers such as Vladimir Nabokov, John Fowles, B.S. Johnson, Donald Barthelme, John Barth, Jorge Luis Borges, or Julian Barnes. The typically metafictional “Selbstbespiegeln der Literatur im Verein mit dem ständigen illusionsbrechenden Hervorkehren[der]Fiktionalität” represents an alternative to the continuation of realism, which, as postmodernist writers believe, has become impossible. Critics of metafiction deny it the ability to portray the real world because of its “decadent forms of self-absorption”. Behind the paramount purpose of metafiction, which is to lay bare its own status as fiction, a variety of metafictional devices emerged. Although most commonly found in novels, such devices are not unusual in short stories, as this seminar paper attempts to show.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. Introduction
- 1. Definition of metafiction
- 2. Markers, devices and functions of metafiction
- 3.1. Themes
- 3.2. Frames and Structure
- 3.3. Narration and Style
- 3. Conclusion
- II. Introduction
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This seminar paper explores the concept of metafiction in literary works, particularly in short stories. It aims to define metafiction, analyze its markers and devices, and illustrate its functions through specific examples. The paper focuses on the ways in which metafiction interacts with the reader’s awareness of the fictional nature of the text.
- Definition and characteristics of metafiction
- Metafictional devices and their impact on narrative structure
- The relationship between fiction and reality in metafictional texts
- The role of self-consciousness and irony in metafiction
- Metafiction as a form of literary commentary
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The chapter introduces the concept of metafiction, defining it as fiction that is self-aware and draws attention to its own fictional nature. It highlights the historical development of the term and provides examples of metafictional works from various periods.
- Definition of Metafiction: This section delves into the definition of metafiction, examining different theoretical approaches and outlining its relationship to literary criticism. It emphasizes the self-conscious and systematic approach of metafiction in drawing attention to its artificiality.
- Markers, Devices and Functions of Metafiction: This chapter explores specific markers and devices employed in metafictional texts. It examines thematic concerns related to fiction and reality, structural elements that disrupt the narrative flow, and narrative and stylistic choices that highlight the constructed nature of the text.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this paper include metafiction, self-consciousness, self-reflection, irony, fictionality, narrative structure, themes, devices, realism, postmodernism, and literary criticism. The paper analyzes the relationship between fiction and reality, the role of self-awareness in literary works, and the impact of metafictional techniques on the reading experience.
- Quote paper
- Theresia Knuth (Author), 2005, Forms and Functions of Metafiction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/46531
