Metafiction (A Case Study of: Bibi Shahrza, Good Night Sultan and The Author Does Not Die, Acts)

"Metafiction" is referred to as a postmodern technique in which the author consciously, and in multiple ways, emphasizes the narrative and fabrication of his story. In this article, the novels of Bibi Shahrzad, Good Night Sultan, and The Author Does Not Die, Acts, are examined from the perspective of post-modern metafiction techniques. The purpose of this study is to analyze the novels Bibi Shahrzad, Good Night Sultan and The Author Does Not Die, Acts, he pays homage" from the perspective of metanarratives and has been done in a documentary and library way and with content analysis method. And, he wants to answer these questions: How is the metanarrative manifested in these novels and by what tricks? Can these three novels be considered as extra-fiction novels? As the results have indicated, metafiction techniques such as story writing, metafiction naming, story critique, the presence and involvement of the narrator in the story (such as the narrator / writer relationship with the audience), the relationship with the story, and the characters have been used more or less in all three novels. The author does not die, nevertheless. It is more prominent and artificial.
Introduction:
Metafiction is a fundamental device utilized in postmodern storytelling that purposefully draws attention to its artificial nature. Its objective is to convince the reader that what they are reading is essentially constructed and should not be mistaken for reality. In Iran, numerous contemporary writers, such as Reza Baraheni, Moniro Ravanipour, Kazem Tina, Abutorab Khosravi, and others, have engaged in experimentation with metafiction.
Regardless of the fact that numerous contemporary Persian stories have been criticized through the lenses of postmodernism and metafiction, there has not yet been an independent study that specifically focuses on metafiction in three particular novels within this research.
The authors aim to address the following questions: How does metafiction manifest itself in these novels? What techniques are employed? Can these three novels be regarded as examples of metafictional literature?
Methodology:
This research used documentary and library methods, as well as content analysis. After examining and identifying meta-narrative techniques used in the three novels under study, a descriptive method was utilized to analyze the data and findings.
 Meta-narrative elements and preparations, which are important in constructing meta-narratives, can be divided into two categories: revealing techniques and the triangular relationship. Revealing techniques include "storytelling of storytelling", "naming of meta-narrative", and "critique of the narrative". In addition, the triangular relationship features of the author, including "author's relationship with the audience", "author's relationship with the narrative", and "author's relationship with the characters", all aim to eliminate the author's dominance through short connections.
Results and Discussion:
Storytelling, naming meta-narratives, and critique of narrative are the primary focus of this study's conducted research. Having established the findings, it can be deduced that;
In the novel Bibi Shahrazad, the author does not directly enter the story or explicitly state that they are writing a story. However, upon reflection on the novel, it becomes evident that the protagonist, Arastoo, is the same abandoned son mentioned several times in the storytelling. He asks Bibi Shahrazad to tell him about the story of Maryam and her painting. This technique has also been utilized in Goodnight, Sultan and The Writer Does Not Die, Acts, the act of storytelling itself is the main theme, with the author explaining the construction of the story.
The aforementioned meta-narratives creates a connection from within the text to the book cover. In Bibi Shahrazad, the name Bibi appears in the text of the novel, and Shahrazad the storyteller also references this meta-narrative feature mentioned in the story text. A portion of the story text is also on the back cover of the book. In Goodnight, Sultan, the title of the book appears in a section of the text. The author also dedicates the book to his daughter, Rojin, who is coincidentally named after one of the characters in the novel, Rojin, the daughter of a character named Atabaki. In The Writer Does Not Die, Acts, this technique is used in the title of the book and on the back cover.
In the novels under scrutiny, except for Bibi Shahrazad, authors criticize their own stories, other authors within the story, and others. In Goodnight, Sultan, Taqizadeh criticizes his book and others using this technique. In The Writer Does Not Die, Acts, this method is placed at the forefront of the book, and the author's focus is on the story and its criticism.
 Another feature of the meta-narrative is the author's triad of relationships. The meta-narrative author presents themselves in a triangle of relationships with the story, the audience, and the characters.
 In all three novels, the author is present in the story. In Bibi Shahrazad, the author sees themselves in the story instead of as a character. In Goodnight, Sultan, the author dedicates the book to his daughter Rojin, who is coincidentally named after one of the characters named Rojin, the daughter of a character named Atabaki. In The Writer Does Not Die, Acts, the author goes to a forum and doubts themselves and their identity as a writer, and it seems that they do not even believe that they are a writer.
In terms of relationships with the reader, the author states that they are not a worker and that the act lies with the reader, expressing that the interpretation can differ depending on the number of readers.
 In terms of their relationship with the characters, the author and the characters can become one and have emotional connections with each other. Indications of this relationship exist in all three novels, but in The Author Does Not Die, Acts, it is particularly complex and occurs frequently. As a result, the boundary between reality and non-reality is blurred, ultimately leading to the creation of a meta-narrative.
 Among the three novels examined in this article, The Author Does Not Die, Acts employs meta-narrative techniques more frequently, making it aptly described as a meta-narrative novel.
Conclusion:
Main Discussion

Revealing Techniques

A critical dimension of meta-narrative is the revelation of techniques, which is achieved via three methods: storytelling about storytelling, naming meta-narratives, and critique of narrative.
1-1. Storytelling about Storytelling
In meta-narrative, the author discusses their storytelling techniques and elaborates on them. The presence of the author in the story and the discussion of narrative techniques fill spaces that can stimulate the reader's imagination.
1-2. Naming Meta-narratives
In some meta-narratives, the author deliberately chooses the title of the story or its chapters in a way that hints at storytelling techniques or other meta-narrative features. This feature is referred to as naming meta-narratives, often starting from the book cover or the novel's title.
1-3. Critique of Narrative
Getting engaged in meta-narrative leads the author to examine their creation in the presence of the reader. This assessment is accompanied by an evaluation and a criticize by the author. Essentially, meta-narrative critiques itself by revealing its creative process.

Authorial Triad of Relationships

In meta-narrative, the author is not just the creator of the story but also a part of the text they write. The authorial triad of relationships in meta-narrative includes the author's relationship with the reader, the narrative itself, and the characters.
2-1. Author's Relationship with the Reader
In meta-narrative, the author directly engages with the reader, involving them in the creation of the story. This feature is evident in various forms, such as blank writing, ambiguous and multiple conclusions, etc. In blank writing, the reader narrates the ambiguous and untold parts of the story, while in ambiguous or multiple conclusions, the reader can choose one ending from several options or create their own ending for the story.
2-2 Author's Relationship with the Narrative
Meta-narrative writers insist on not identifying themselves as the sole authors and prefer to deny their authorship as well as the reality of their story. By denying this issue and embracing the rebelliousness of the characters, the author challenges the power and sanctity of the writer since an author who confesses they are not a traditional author.
2-3. Author's Relationship with the Characters
The author's connection with the characters of the story is one of the most prominent aspects that bridge the gap between the real world and the fictional world of the characters. In meta-narratives, characters sometimes seek independence in their relationship with the author; in other words, "in the novel of the postmodern era, characters insist on their independence from the author and even rebel against them." When the author lacks the control seen in traditional storytelling, they must also be prepared for the intervention of characters in the story.