Raja Abuali, Maedeh Zohriarab,
Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring & Sammer 2022)
Abstract
Metafiction is a style of writing novel and a phenomenon that emerges from postmodern narration, and one of its features is experimentation and breaking the familiar patterns of the novel and there is no doubt that metafiction is a kind of displacement in the narrative and it tends to produce a new vision and a new discourse that dominates over the discourse that is known to everyone, and on this basis, metafiction opens more than one subject for the recipient. It also means "the story about the story," that is, the novel's talk about itself or the description of its inner world, and it discusses its critical perceptions about the narration. However, the attempt of metafiction to break and destroy the old and build it again in a different framework, is what made it a postmodern technique. It is important to say that "William Gass" is one of the famous who used this term in his critical studies. The phenomenon of metafiction has attracted the attention of researchers, and they are applying it to a number of Arabic and other novels; hence the idea of this research came to apply the features and forms of metafiction in the novel "Azazel" by Youssef Zaidan, based on the descriptive-analytical style. Hence, the aim of this research is to explore metafictive forms by analyzing their metafictive text to show the writer's creativity. One of the results we have reached in this research is that the metafictive style in this novel is seen through aspects such as: reference to writing, the rebellion of characters against the author, breaking chronology and other metafictive techniques.
Maedeh Zohriarab, Reza Nazamian,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (10-2022)
Abstract
This article examines a postmodern mode of narration, i.e., meta-narrative, which was first employed by the American novelist William Gass. Metafiction is one of the most important features of postmodern literature, which is different from the traditional mode of narration, that draws on new techniques in writing fiction. This study attempts to examine the meta-adventure in Afaei Alnar by Jalal Barjas, in which metafiction techniques are used in order to new and wide spaces. Based on a descriptive-analytical approach, this study concludes that the narrative of Jalal Barjas often oscillates between fantasy and reality, between the past and the present. Among the most important metaphorical techniques he employes in the novel are the followings: evoking writing rituals, referring to the process of writing, embodying writing anxiety, fragmenting narration through creating multiple narrators (polyphony), and oscillating between illusory imagination and truth. These items draw the reader’s attention more to the narration process itself than to the subject of narration.
Maedeh Zohriarab, Raja Abuali ,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (6-2024)
Abstract
The postmodern novel is characterized by a set of distinct features. This research examines the representation of fragmentation within the postmodern novel, as numerous postmodern authors have employed this innovative narrative technique to disrupt the narrative arc and dismantle the organized linear structure of storytelling. The fragmented novel plays a significant role in postmodern literature, offering a new perspective that accords with the demands of contemporary society due to its capacity to establish conventions that diverge from traditional norms. From this perspective, fragmentation is a pivotal characteristic of the postmodern novel, reflecting a departure from established traditions and a move away from regularity, coherence, and codification within the narrative. This deviation represents a profound means of broadening the scope of the novel. Khalil Sweileh’s The Writer of Love exemplifies the postmodern novel, incorporating various forms of fragmentation within its narrative. The significance of this research is underscored by the fact that Sweileh’s novel offers a compelling exploration of the fragmentation and disarray prevalent in society. It serves as a commentary on the human condition in a world marked by division and inconsistency. Through a descriptive-analytical examination of this novel, we identified several prominent features of fragmentation, including disjointed plot development, a fragmented spatiotemporal structure, a lack of cohesive narrative, the author’s liberation from conventional constraints, and varied writing styles. Furthermore, we concluded that fragmentation symbolizes chaos and the disjointed existence experienced by the characters, each of whom is caught between their past and present, as well as between their desires and reality. The disorder and confusion in time and space reflect the uncertainty and instability of the self.
