Metafic: Difference between revisions
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A metafic (metafanfic?) self-consciously shows how the reader is being mislead by repeatedly drawing attention to the critical flaws in a certain category of writing. The effect can be jarring on the reader, causing one to wake up and break the flow of the narrative, but this is exactly the point. The reader is thus alerted to unreasonable expectations and illogical consequences. Is [[Tom Sloane]] really evil? A metafic might point out that, aside from kissing Daria while still dating Jane, Tom is actually a well-mannered and good-natured character, his flaws being rather minor compared to folks like [[Tommy Sherman]] or [[Angela Li]]. However, the metafic might also have other characters treat Tom as if he were poisonous, or exaggerate his supposed evil to the point that he is the secret master behind every evil thing in history, from the Inquisition to disco music. |
A metafic (metafanfic?) self-consciously shows how the reader is being mislead by repeatedly drawing attention to the critical flaws in a certain category of writing. The effect can be jarring on the reader, causing one to wake up and break the flow of the narrative, but this is exactly the point. The reader is thus alerted to unreasonable expectations and illogical consequences. Is [[Tom Sloane]] really evil? A metafic might point out that, aside from kissing Daria while still dating Jane, Tom is actually a well-mannered and good-natured character, his flaws being rather minor compared to folks like [[Tommy Sherman]] or [[Angela Li]]. However, the metafic might also have other characters treat Tom as if he were poisonous, or exaggerate his supposed evil to the point that he is the secret master behind every evil thing in history, from the Inquisition to disco music. |
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Certain kinds of metafic instead take aim at the fandom's perception of fanfiction, in general or about specific tales, or at the attitudes fanfic writers have about their work. In "[[The Horror of Getting a Daria Fanfiction Reviewed]]," [[Ace Trax]] uses an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Anaconda Angela Anaconda] fanfic to look at the anxiety writers experience when their ''Daria'' stories are reviewed. [[Ruthless Bunny]]'s "[[Melody Powers and the Temple of Doom]]" does the same thing using Daria herself. |
Certain kinds of metafic instead take aim at the fandom's perception of fanfiction, in general or about specific tales, or at the attitudes fanfic writers have about their work. In "[[The Horror of Getting a Daria Fanfiction Reviewed]]," [[Ace Trax]] uses an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Anaconda Angela Anaconda] fanfic to look at the anxiety writers experience when their ''Daria'' stories are reviewed. [[Ruthless Bunny]]'s "[[Melody Powers and the Temple of Doom]]" does the same thing using Daria herself. Both use comedy in pointed ways to deflate the egos of writers who have difficulty tolerating negative reviews. |
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Metafiction can violate the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_wall fourth wall] by having characters address the reader throughout the tale or in brief asides, or by having fanfic authors appear in the story, manipulating characters and events in ways meant to highlight their particular styles. At times fanfic authors meet their creations, but the ''Daria'' characters get revenge on the authors for abusing the characters in their stories. |
Metafiction can violate the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_wall fourth wall] by having characters address the reader throughout the tale or in brief asides, or by having fanfic authors appear in the story, manipulating characters and events in ways meant to highlight their particular styles. At times fanfic authors meet their creations, but the ''Daria'' characters get revenge on the authors for abusing the characters in their stories. |
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An excellent example of ''Daria'' metafic is [[Scissors MacGillicutty]]'s "[[Where's Mary Sue When You Need Her?]]" which skewers [[Mary Sue]] stories. More precisely, it skewers the idea that all Mary Sue or [[self-insert]] stories are terrible by being excellent, although the author himself has reservations about it. The author did intend to invert the traditional Mary Sue trope of having the self-insert character be omniscient, omnipotent, and physically irresistible, and his Mary Sue persona is weak, clueless, and can't even admit his attraction to Daria to himself. |
An excellent example of ''Daria'' metafic is [[Scissors MacGillicutty]]'s "[[Where's Mary Sue When You Need Her?]]" which skewers [[Mary Sue]] stories. More precisely, it skewers the idea that all Mary Sue or [[self-insert]] stories are terrible by being excellent, although the author himself has reservations about it. The author did intend to invert the traditional Mary Sue trope of having the self-insert character be omniscient, omnipotent, and physically irresistible, and his Mary Sue persona is weak, clueless, and can't even admit his attraction to Daria to himself. |
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Another example of ''Daria'' metafic is [[The Angst Guy]]'s "[[Deus Jane]]" which uses continuity errors and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diegesis#Diegesis_in_film non-diegetic] elements of ''Daria'' the cartoon as objective elements of a world created by a Jane Lane with god-like powers of creation. Thus "[[Deus Jane]]" not only calls the reader's attention to that it is a work of fanfiction, but that the original work from which its derived contains numerous technical flaws. |
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==External Links== |
==External Links== |
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