1. “Self-Reflexivity” & Parody in
Postmodern Popular Culture

2. Outline Parody and Metafiction defined;
Examples from painting and photography.
Self-Reflexivity in Ads

3. Why parody and metafiction?
Both are dominant postmodern genres which move beyond their textual boundaries to show that a text is a group of “texts” and holds intertextual relations to its society.
Both serve to illustrate how postmodernism challenges/deconstructs author-ities.
In poststructuralist terms,
text = construction,
author = signs in a text or discourses in society.
They are both “self-reflexive.” self = author, text and language/construction.

4. What is “meta-”?
Fr. Greek meta-, “beside, after”; or “above, upon, or about” (in other words, both referring to and transforming/transcending at the same time). 後設
What is metafiction?

5. Easy signs story within the story;
frame within the frame; TV within TV
Historical figures juxtaposed with fictional ones;
Digression, discussion of plot, exposure of typographical signs… whatever stops you from being immersed in the story.

6. Self-Reflexive Arts: general definition
Art which expose its own artificiality (and that of its target),
e.g. artistic medium(stage, language, camera), creative process; artistic frames, story,
by 1) denying the author’s power;
2) bringing its context into the text;
3) making narrative intrusion, speaking to the audience/reader;
4) refusing to tell the whole story or revealing its untruthfulness.

7. Challenging or Undermining “Reality” & Realism
Some metafictional methods:
1. Discuss/expose
novelistic elements or frames;
2. Undermining the “Author’s” abilities to control meanings;
3. Parody or pastiche
Different kinds of “reality”: Belief/stereotype, History, Memory, Life, Identity
Realist conventions: omniscient narrator (author-god), progressive & linear history, characters with depth.
Fourth wall in theatre

8. In what ways is this painting Self-reflexive?
Metafiction: e.g. (1) --
In what ways is this painting
Self-reflexive?
 Self = masterpiece or kitsch
Masterpiece, 1962 (137,2x137,2)
Mr & Mrs Melvin Hirsch,

9. Parody: Definitions
Comic and/or critical imitation + revision. (comic parody; critical parody, metafictional parody.)
Jameson: parody: critique of a classical norm; pastiche: meaningless combination of fragments without a sense of norm.

10. Parodies in Popular Culture
電視模仿風& parodies of politicians：李祖惜（侯冠群﹚；附總統（倪敏然﹚；張俊熊（高凌風﹚
Sesame Streets’ parodies: Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run“  “Born to Add”  
Beatles’ “Let it Be”  “Letter B”
music & music videos: by 豬頭皮， "Weird Al" Yankovic
Films: Mel Brook’s films (Young Frankenstein, etc.) Woody Allen’s films.

11. Parodies in Arts Paintings: e.g. “The Last Supper”, “Scream” etc.
Photography:
(left: Big Bad Chinese Mama right: Cindy Sherman)

12. Parody: Related Issues
critical parody or playful imitation? The issue of copyright. e.g. a 1992 U.S. case, Rogers v. Koons; Mattel v. Walking Mountain Productions (Tom Forysthe’s products );
parody or pastiche?
Loss of history, meaning?
Schizophrenic lack of depth?
Challenging originality,
author & author-ities.

13. parody or pastiche? How is ‘Today’s home’ critiqued?
1) Richard Hamilton
Just What Is It That Makes Today's Home So Different, So Appealing? (1956)
How is ‘Today’s home’ critiqued?
--example of pastiche:

14. Challenging Human Boundaries Self = Body or Clothes?

15. between the Human and the Plant

16. Self-Reflexivity in Ads and a Film
Parody, Imitation or Self-Aggrandizement
-- without undermining the “reality” it sells

17. Parodies or Imitation of Benetton

18. Persistence of the “Self”

19. One More Example for analysis: gender & identity
.國際VISA組織-VISA在手盡其在我-羅拉(完整)篇
Signs? Connotations? Distortion?
Is the woman all powerful?

20. Two More Examples for analysis: gender & identity
.國際VISA組織-VISA在手盡其在我-羅拉(完整)篇
Signs: frame within the frame
of the Gothic: woman in a cape; old mansion/computer game parlor; a secret pass;
of electronic game -- virtual reality with a woman presented in double;
sci-fi: strong woman in black tight-fit dress,
Is the woman all powerful?
Apparently, the two women empower each other;
Actually, the visa card is power.
Distortion: money = power; game = reality
Symptom Revealed: everything is construction, but the power of money and electronic game is stronger than anything else.

21. Examples for analysis: gender & identity
TOYOTA-VIOS 1.6-目光吸引篇
Signs? Objectification of the Woman?
Myth vs. Reality?

22. Two More Examples for analysis: gender & identity
TOYOTA-VIOS 1.6-目光吸引篇
Main idea: “What do you want?” “Vios, it’s everything.”
Signs: Glass Building and Ads
1) the car: Silver gray colors, in a clean but empty city with glass buildings;  easy, fast and smooth driving luxury and power (The whole city is emptied out.)
2) Objectification of the Woman? A woman larger than life (with the power of T.V. wall+glass building)  the woman’s flowing hair, gaze and smile are signs of the man’s self-projection of power, ease and desirability.
Distorted: city, the woman an ad and its interpellation(召喚) in disguise
Symptom Revealed: spectacle/image society; “The TV is watching us.”  “The TV spectacle desires by us.”

23. Film: Ferris Beuler’s Day Off
Breaking the Fourth Wall Illusion
MTV channel

24. Film: Ferris Bueler’s Day Off
Breaking the filmic boundaries by
Starting and ending the film beyond the opening and closing credits;
Direct address to the audience;
Putting captions on his instructions.