Reshaping Fiction: The Influence of Social Media Networks on Printed Narrative

Conference Paper

2013

, Hala Maziad Altuwaijri . 2013

The massive spread and popularity of social media networks (SMN) are generating an intellectual evolution that is shifting the direction of art and creative writing to new interdisciplinary domains of expression. Hence, since concepts of narrative are part of the intellectual and artistic endeavor, and since they are reflected likewise in the field of social media networks, it is necessary to study the influence of media technology on contemporary narrative productions and examine the emerging trends in narrative styles. The current paper, therefore, studies the effects of SMN on the narrative style of traditional print narrative, in the form of a book, using the bestselling novel Forty Rules of Love (2011) by the Turkish writer Elif Shafak as a case study of a narrative style that adheres to the modes of expression developed through SMN.
Users of SMN usually experience variable modes of expression with multiple settings and voices that allow them to comprehend the evolving structure and discourse of SMN. That is, SMN contain a wide array of domains that range from domains that include visual images only, (such as Tumbler and Snapchat) to domains that combine images with personal statements, (such as Facebook and Instagram's personal profiles), to domains that are based on writing but have room for some pictures as well (such as Twitter, Whatsapp, and BBM messenger). Three main characteristics define the behavior of users of SMN: audience migration, precision, and hybridism. Audience migration suggests that since most users experience a variety of domains simultaneously, they adjust their cognitive skills to follow the policies of each domain, and therefore, migrate from one mindset to the other rapidly. Precision, moreover, comes as a result of the combination of visual images and a limited space for expression. This aspect has a profound effect on language, but the focus here is specifically on the growing preference for precision and clarity. Finally, the globalization of SMN facilitates a hybrid interaction of voices from various cultural, ideological, or religious backgrounds. These three features have contributed in reshaping the artistic taste of readers, and are reflected in the narrative style of Shafak's novel Forty Rules of Love.
Forty Rules of Love is a spiritual tale of love and human companionship. Love is projected as a powerful force that can tie people from different backgrounds and reconnect them with the essence of life. The story is about Ella, a bored housewife from Northampton, New England, who virtually falls in love with the writer of a story she reviews for a publishing company. The story, "Sweet Blasphemy," is about a 13th century wandering Persian Sufi Dervish and his patron and companion Rumi, the greatest poet of the Sufi canon. Ella finds in the story and its writer answers that fill the void in her spiritual life. The structure of Shafak's novel shows apparent congruity with the structure and discourse of SMN. The novel is divided into brief and precise chapters that are
narrated by different voices from various ethnic, religious, and ideological backgrounds. The chapters also travel freely in time from the 13th century to the 21st century with an emphasis on the unity of humanity across history. Moreover, the virtual love story between Ella and the writer develops through the exchange of emails, which further highlights the effects of the discourse of SMN on the novel. In conclusion, the style and structure of the novel take after the structure and discourse of SMN, which indicates that there is an obvious influence that is reshaping contemporary narrative techniques.
Introduction

• Publication Work Type: paper
• Conference Location: Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul.
• Conference Name: The 13th conference on fiction: creativity, difference and irregularity.
• Sponsoring Organization: King Saud University