Metafiction is a literary technique wherein a work of fiction self-consciously draws attention to its own status as a creation of fiction, blurring the boundary between fiction and reality. In metafiction, authors intentionally break the illusion of reality within the narrative by incorporating elements that remind the reader that they are engaging with a constructed story.

Here are some key characteristics and examples of metafiction:

1. **Narrative Self-Reference**: Metafiction often includes explicit references to the act of storytelling, the process of writing, or the conventions of literature itself. This may involve characters who are aware that they are characters in a story, authors who address the reader directly, or narratives that comment on their own fictional nature.

2. **Breaking the Fourth Wall**: Metafictional works may break the “fourth wall” by directly addressing the reader or acknowledging the artificiality of the narrative. This can create a sense of intimacy between the author, the characters, and the reader, as well as a sense of playfulness or irony.

3. **Multiple Layers of Reality**: Metafiction may feature multiple layers of reality, with stories within stories or narratives that reflect on their own construction. This can create complex and recursive structures that challenge traditional notions of linear storytelling.

4. **Interrogation of Truth and Reality**: Metafiction often raises questions about the nature of truth, reality, and representation. By foregrounding the artifice of fiction, metafiction invites readers to consider the relationship between fiction and reality, as well as the subjective nature of storytelling.

5. **Examples**: Examples of metafiction include works such as “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes, “Tristram Shandy” by Laurence Sterne, “If on a winter’s night a traveler” by Italo Calvino, “House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski, and “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” by John Fowles. Each of these works employs metafictional techniques to varying degrees, inviting readers to engage with the text in a self-aware and reflexive manner.

Overall, metafiction challenges traditional notions of storytelling and invites readers to participate actively in the construction of meaning, blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality in the process.

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