metafiction: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2 / Low frequency in general useFormal, Literary, Academic
Quick answer
What does “metafiction” mean?
Fiction that self-consciously draws attention to its own fictional nature, often by breaking the illusion of the narrative.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Fiction that self-consciously draws attention to its own fictional nature, often by breaking the illusion of the narrative.
A genre or style of writing that examines the relationship between fiction and reality, the process of storytelling, and the role of the author and reader.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally used and understood in academic and literary circles in both regions.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of intellectualism, postmodernism, and experimental literature. Can sometimes be used pejoratively to imply excessive cleverness or lack of emotional engagement.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both BrE and AmE, confined to specialist discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “metafiction” in a Sentence
[Noun] is a classic example of metafiction.The novel employs/uses/features metafiction.She writes/analyses/critiques metafiction.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metafiction” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- 'Tristram Shandy' is often cited as an early precursor to metafiction.
- Her thesis explores the role of the reader in contemporary metafiction.
American English
- John Barth's lost-in-the-funhouse stories are key texts of American metafiction.
- The movie is more than a comedy; it's a piece of cinematic metafiction.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in literary studies, critical theory, and postmodern philosophy courses.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only be used in conversations about complex literature.
Technical
A technical term within narratology and literary theory.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metafiction”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “metafiction”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metafiction”
- Using it to mean any complex or symbolic fiction (it must specifically break the fourth wall or comment on its own fictionality).
- Spelling as 'meta-fiction' with a hyphen (though this is an acceptable variant, the solid form is more common).
- Pronouncing the first syllable as /miːtə/ instead of /metə/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A frame story (like in 'The Canterbury Tales') is a structural device. Metafiction is a broader aesthetic that consciously exposes its own fictionality; a frame story can be used metafictively if it draws attention to the act of storytelling itself.
Yes, the term is often extended to 'metafiction' in cinema (metacinema) and theatre (metatheatre). Any narrative medium can employ metafictive techniques, such as breaking the fourth wall or commenting on its own medium.
While metafiction is a hallmark of postmodern literature, not all postmodern fiction is strictly metafictional. Postmodernism includes other features like pastiche, irony, and historical revisionism. Metafiction specifically focuses on self-awareness about fiction-making.
Realist or mimetic fiction, which strives to create a seamless, believable illusion of reality without drawing attention to its own constructed nature. The goal is for the reader to 'forget' they are reading a fiction.
Fiction that self-consciously draws attention to its own fictional nature, often by breaking the illusion of the narrative.
Metafiction is usually formal, literary, academic in register.
Metafiction: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmetəˈfɪkʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmedəˈfɪkʃ(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly used in idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: META-fiction = fiction about fiction. Like a film where the actor turns and talks to the audience about being in a film.
Conceptual Metaphor
FICTION IS A CONSTRUCT (highlighting the scaffolding, the author's hand, the artificiality of the world).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST example of a metafictive technique?