A metanarrative can be defined as a story within another
Metanarrative is a concept that is not part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). In any case, its meaning can be understood by analyzing its components.
Etymology
The prefix meta- , of Greek origin, refers to “about” , “after” , “next to” , “with” or “between” . A story , meanwhile, is a narrative . As metarrelato is a compound word where the R appears between two vowels, this letter must be doubled to preserve the sound it has in story : metaRRelato .
The meaning that can be deduced from this term taking into account all its etymological elements and that helps us understand its application in the field of narrative is that it is a group of conceptual categories that serve us for the study of stories. .
Returning to the Greek prefix meta- , we can also interpret it as an indication that the concept that follows it is transcendent, it goes beyond. That is why it is said that a metanarrative goes beyond the work itself, although it does so to offer us tools or resources that help us return to it and understand it better. In fact, it is as if he speaks about himself through another.
A story about another
It can be said that a metanarrative is a story about a story : a narrative about a narrative. It is possible to associate the notion with other similar ones, such as metanarrative or even metalanguage .
A metanarrative uses the self-referential as part of its narrative objective. There is an awareness that this is a story dedicated to the construction of another story.
Let's take the case of a story that tells the story of a novelist, focusing on the process that this writer develops when creating a novel. In the metanarrative, in this way, a second story appears (the one that the author in question is creating). There are also metanarratives where the characters are aware that they are inside a different story.
It is important to mention that different ways of understanding what a metanarrative is were established, since the notion was analyzed by different theorists within the framework of epistemology and philosophy . For example, some specialists maintain that a metanarrative is a great story that houses other stories of lesser magnitude, level or importance : that is, a kind of mother narrative .
Attractiveness of the metanarrative
Although for people who simply enjoy reading stories the impact of a metanarrative may not be considerable, for writers it represents a portal into the author's mind that can make an invaluable contribution. A story that is included within another and that talks about the process of literary creation is a perfect excuse to delve into its function, its meaning and its context at all levels desired by the creator.
A metanarrative can offer us a glimpse into the author's mind
In some cases this form of art is used to denounce certain problems specific to the literary field, which are not so easy to delve into in a traditional story. The weight that the complaint gains with the presence of fiction within fiction is undeniable, since it is possible to give it more realism without departing from the story.
The stories that include the works of their characters, as well as the films that deal with the difficulties of filmmakers or the operas that show us stories of lyrical singers are very special works, which if well done can move the public in a very particular way. and lead them to reflect on the issues they present, partly without them being aware of it. If they simply addressed the problem directly, they would probably become essays.