Fictional Truth (Parallax: Re-visions of Culture and Society) - Softcover

Riffaterre, Prof Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801839343 ISBN 13: 9780801839344

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990

Synopsis

In Fictional Truth Riffaterre identifies and discusses the features that give fictional narratives their ring of truth. He offers a semiotic revision of traditional narrarology, sets forth a new theory of intertextual overdetermination, and presents an analysis of the manufestation of narrative contant through the operations of an intertextual unconscious. Throughout, Riffaterre tests theory against close readings of fiction by such authors as Austen, Balzac, Dickens, James, Meredith, Proust, and Trollope. An introduction and glossary of terms help make this an indispensable volume for the student as well as the specialist.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Riffaterre is University Professor at Columbia University as well as Director and a Senior Fellow of the School of Criticism and Theory at Dartmouth College. He is author of Semiotics of Poetry and Text Production.

From the Back Cover

"All literary genres are artifacts", writes Michael Riffaterre, "but none more blatantly so than fiction. Its very name declares its artificiality, and yet it must somehow be true to hold the interest of its readers, to tell them about experiences at once imaginary and relevant to their own lives. This paradox of truth in fiction is the problem for which I propose to seek a solution."

In "Fictional Truth" Riffaterre identifies and discusses the features that give fictional narratives their ring of truth. He offers a semiotic revision of traditional narratology, sets forth a new theory of intertextual overdetermination, and presents an analysis of the manifestation of narrative content through the operations of an intertextual unconscious. Throughout, Riffaterre tests theory against close readings of fiction by such authors as Austen, Balzac, Dickens, James, Meredith, Proust, and Trollope. An introduction and glossary of terms help make this an indispensable volume for the students as well as the specialist.

Edition details

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801839343
• ISBN 13: 9780801839344
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 164