Fanfiction as a literary text : a narratological study of fanfiction writing

Abstract

Esta monografia tem como objetivo principal a análise de fanfictions através de uma lente literária para fornecer ferramentas para análises narrativas desse gênero e, consequentemente, ajudar a mapear como as fanfictions expandem os storyworlds e enriquecem os arquivos de outras obras, a fim de responder à pergunta: ‘Como funciona o processo de escrita de fanfiction, especificamente em universos alternativos?’ Para tanto, investigo as especificidades de fanfiction e fandom como parte do que Jenkins (1992; 2006) denomina convergência e cultura participativa. Além disso, fanfiction é considerada literatura arcôntica neste estudo, termo proposto por Derecho (2006) a partir das noções de arquivo de Derrida (1995). Fanfictions alteram as características centrais de storyworlds, ou o cânon, conforme Klastrup and Tosca (2004), para criar entradas no arquivo. Esses conceitos estão relacionados à narratologia funcional, a fim de compreender os processos narrativos que causam interesse nos leitores, estimulam o engajamento e a expansão dos storyworlds. Sternberg propõe as bases para a narratologia funcional em seu trabalho seminal intitulado Expositional Modes and Temporal Ordering in Fiction (1978) e discute os princípios dos elementos expositivos, sua ordenação temporal e outras estratégias narrativas que resultam em lacunas narrativas e geram os três efeitos universais de curiosidade, surpresa, e suspense para o leitor. Fanfictions exploram essas lacunas narrativas para expandir os storyworlds existentes. No presente estudo, essas teorias são aplicadas à análise de The D(evil) Wears Prada (2017), uma escrita minha de fanfiction que combina a série de televisão Era Uma Vez (ABC, 2011) ao filme O Diabo Veste Prada (FRANKEL, 2006) para iluminar as discussões teóricas apresentadas e apontar como a narrativa de fanfiction se estrutura de forma análoga à de gêneros literários consagrados e de maior prestígio cultural.

This monograph has as its main objective the analysis of fanfictions through a literary lens to provide the tools for narrative analyses of this genre and, consequently, to help map how fanfictions expand existing storyworlds and enrich other works' archives, to answer the question ‘How does the process of fanfiction writing work, specifically in alternate universes?’. For this purpose, I investigate fanfiction and fandom specificities as part of what Jenkins (1992; 2006) denominates convergence and participatory culture. Moreover, fanfiction is considered archontic literature in this study, term proposed by Derecho (2006) through Derrida (1995)’s notions of archive. Fanfictions alter the core features of storyworlds, or the canon, as defined by Klastrup and Tosca (2004), to create new archive entries. These concepts are related to functional narratology, in order to understand the narrative processes that interest readers, encourage engagement and the expansion of storyworlds. Sternberg proposes the groundwork for functional narratology in his seminal work entitled Expositional Modes and Temporal Ordering in Fiction (1978) and discusses the principles of expositional elements, their temporal ordering, and other narrative structures that result in narrative gaps and generate the three universal effects of curiosity, surprise, and suspense for the reader. Fanfictions explore these narrative gaps to expand existing storyworlds. In the present study, these theories are applied to the analysis of The D(evil) Wears Prada (2017), a fanfiction writing of my own that combines the TV series Once Upon a Time (ABC, 2011) to the film The Devil Wears Prada (FRANKEL, 2006) to enlighten the presented theoretical discussions and to point out how the narrative in fanfiction is structured similarly to established literary genres that have greater cultural prestige.