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Metafiction highlights the role of:

APublishers and editors

BAuthor and reader

CSociety and culture

DHistory and mythology

Answer:

B. Author and reader

Read Explanation:

Understanding Metafiction

  • Metafiction is a literary device used in fiction that self-consciously refers to itself as a work of art and to the artificiality or fictitiousness of its own construction.
  • It essentially breaks the 'fourth wall' of narrative, drawing attention to the fact that the reader is consuming a constructed story.
  • The term 'meta' implies 'about itself' or 'beyond'. So, metafiction is 'fiction about fiction'.

Role of the Author in Metafiction

  • Metafiction draws attention to the author's creative process and the act of writing itself.
  • The author often makes their presence felt, sometimes directly addressing the reader or commenting on the narrative choices.
  • It can involve authors inserting themselves as characters, discussing the challenges of plot creation, or revealing the 'behind-the-scenes' of storytelling.
  • This technique highlights the author as the architect or creator of the fictional world, rather than an invisible narrator.

Role of the Reader in Metafiction

  • Metafiction compels the reader to be more active and self-aware in their engagement with the text.
  • It challenges the reader to think about the nature of storytelling, truth, and illusion within the narrative.
  • The reader is often reminded that they are reading a book, prompting them to reflect on the relationship between reality and fiction.
  • This can lead to a more critical and analytical reading experience, where the reader is not just passively consuming the story but also analyzing its construction.

Key Characteristics and Examples

  • Metafiction often employs techniques such as:
    • Authorial intrusion: The narrator directly addresses the reader or comments on the story's progress.
    • Stories within stories: Narratives that contain other narratives, often commenting on the act of storytelling.
    • Deconstruction of narrative conventions: Breaking traditional plot structures, character development, or setting rules.
    • Intertextuality: Deliberate references to other literary works or genres.
    • Self-referentiality: Characters aware they are in a book, or plots revolving around the writing of a book.
  • Prominent examples include:
    • John Fowles's The French Lieutenant's Woman (with its multiple endings and authorial commentary).
    • Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler (which directly addresses the reader and explores the act of reading).
    • Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five (where the author inserts himself and comments on the writing process).
    • Jorge Luis Borges's short stories (which often explore the nature of books, libraries, and fiction itself).
  • Metafiction became particularly prominent in postmodern literature, which often questioned grand narratives, objective truth, and traditional forms of representation.

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