Questão 67059

A professor of literary theory is discussing the specifics of literary language, focusing on how postmodern literature challenges traditional notions of narrative and character. The text chosen for analysis is a short excerpt from a postmodern novel that features an 'unreliable narrator' who is self-contradictory, digressive, and constantly draws attention to the artificiality of the story being told. A student expresses frustration, saying, 'I can't get into the story because I don't trust the narrator. It feels like the author is just playing games with me.' The professor uses this reaction to introduce the concept of 'metafiction'. She explains, using a theoretical text as a basis: 'Metafiction is fiction that self-consciously reflects upon its own status as a work of art. By breaking the 'fourth wall' and exposing the conventions of storytelling, metafiction challenges the illusion of realism that dominated the traditional novel. The goal is not to 'play games', but to invite the reader into a more critical and collaborative relationship with the text, to make them aware of how narratives are constructed and how they shape our understanding of reality. It is a key specificity of postmodern literary language.' (adapted from Patricia Waugh). The professor wants her students to understand the function of this seemingly frustrating literary device.

Which of the following analytical questions would best guide the students to an understanding of the function of metafiction in the excerpt?