Question

The term Metafiction, popularized by Robert Scholes, refers to novels that:

• A. Are based on historical facts
• B. Depart from realism
• C. Follow linear narrative
• D. Promote political ideologies

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Depart from realism

Understanding Metafiction

• Metafiction is a literary term that refers to a type of fiction that self-consciously draws attention to its own status as a constructed work of art, rather than striving for a seamless illusion of reality.
• It is characterized by its departure from realism, meaning it does not aim to create a believable, immersive world that mirrors reality, but rather highlights its own artificiality.
• The term was popularized by American literary critic Robert Scholes in his 1970 work, Fabulation and Metafiction. Scholes described it as "fictions which are aware of themselves as fictions."

Key Characteristics and Techniques

• Breaking the Fourth Wall: Characters or narrators directly address the reader or acknowledge the author.
• Narrative Self-Reference: The story refers to its own writing process, its own characters as literary constructs, or its own fictional nature.
• Intertextuality: Often includes explicit references to other literary works or genres, blurring the lines between creation and commentary.
• Questioning Authorship and Authority: Metafiction frequently explores the role of the author, the act of storytelling, and the nature of truth within narratives.
• Critique of Conventional Storytelling: It often deconstructs traditional narrative forms, plot structures, and character development, challenging reader expectations.

Connection to Literary Movements

• Metafiction is a prominent feature of Postmodern literature, which emerged in the mid-20th century. Postmodernism often questions grand narratives, objective reality, and traditional literary conventions.
• It stands in contrast to literary realism and naturalism, which prioritize faithful representation of reality.

Notable Authors and Works

• Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote (1605, 1615) is often cited as an early precursor to metafiction, with its characters discussing the first part of their own story.
• Laurence Sterne's The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759-1767) is another early example, renowned for its digressions and self-referential narration.
• Key 20th-century authors associated with metafiction include:
  • John Fowles: The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969), which famously presents multiple endings and discusses the author's role.
  • Kurt Vonnegut: Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), where the author inserts himself into the narrative and comments on the writing process.
  • Italo Calvino: If on a winter's night a traveler (1979), a novel about reading and writing, with fragmented narratives.
  • Vladimir Nabokov: Pale Fire (1962), a novel presented as a poem with a complex, unreliable scholarly commentary.
  • Jorge Luis Borges: His short stories often play with the nature of reality, libraries, and authorship.