Metafiction · English Literature

In John Fowles' 'The French Lieutenant's Woman', the narrator famously interrupts the story to do what?

  1. He inserts a period-accurate recipe for a traditional Victorian stew or supper dish
  2. He reflects on the challenge of controlling his own characters as a modern novelist
  3. He apologizes to the reader for the novel's lack of a satisfying romantic conclusion
  4. He provides a detailed scientific taxonomy of the plant life native to the Dorset coast
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Correct answer: He reflects on the challenge of controlling his own characters as a modern novelist

Fowles uses a metafictional intervention in Chapter 13 to explain that he is not a 'god-like' Victorian narrator but a modern writer who cannot fully control his creations. This highlights the postmodern shift in narrative authority.

Difficulty: Medium Question 3 of 20

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