METAFICTIONAL DISCOURSE MARKERS: A STUDY ON SELF-REFERENTIALITY IN NARRATIVE
Abstract
Metafictional discourse markers (MDMs) play a crucial role in disrupting the illusion of realism in narrative fiction. These markers foreground the artificiality of storytelling, drawing attention to its constructed nature. This paper examines the types and functions of MDMs, focusing on their role in David Lodge’s The British Museum Is Falling Down (1965). Through a close analysis, this study identifies key linguistic and structural markers that signal metafictionality, such as authorial intrusion, direct reader address, and self-referential commentary. By reviewing existing scholarship on discourse markers and metafiction, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how MDMs function in postmodern literature.
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