Metafictio

n
The prefix meta means beyond or
transcending; thus the
term metafiction literally means "beyond
fiction."
Metafiction is fiction about fiction.

It is a novel or short story (or

film or play) in which the
author knowingly draws
attention to the fact that it is
being made up.
• In stage plays - particularly comic ones - it is
relatively normal to use the metafictional
device of an actor speaking directly to the
audience (or breaking down the "invisible
fourth wall").

• The actor making the aside is deliberately

acknowledging the fact that the story being
told is a fiction being watched on a stage by
an audience.
The author appears as a character in his (or her)
novel, using his real name. Not only that, but he
will say to other characters things like: "Hey,
don't get cheeky with me, Sonny. I created you
and I can just as easily remove your character."
In other ways, metafiction is a novel about
a reader reading a novel; a work of fiction
within a work of fiction.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard which appears in Harry
Potter and Deathly Hallows, is a collection of stories
written for young wizards and witches.
It was given to Hermione Granger as a gift
by Prof. Albus Dumbledore.
One of the stories in that book was THE TALE OF
THREE BROTHERS and this was read by Hermione
in “The Deathly Hallows” Part I in the house of
Lovegood.
The Harry Potter novels are mainly directed at a
young adult audience as opposed to an audience of
middle grade readers, children, or adults.
The novels fall within the genre of
fantasy literature, and qualify as a
unique type of fantasy called

•urban fantasy
•contemporary fantasy
•low fantasy".