The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction

Kawsar Ahamed

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

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The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction

Kawsar Ahamed^*

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 13, Issue 6)

Received: 5 July 2025 Accepted: 21 July 2025 Published: 9 December 2025

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Abstract

This study examines the profound impact of technological media on narrative structures in 21st-century fiction. As digital technologies continue to redefine communication, interaction, and perception, contemporary literature has adapted by embracing non-linear storytelling, multimodal formats, and interactive elements that challenge traditional narrative conventions. Writers are increasingly exploring the influence of social media platforms, virtual reality experiences, and the pervasive presence of data-driven culture within their fiction, resulting in innovative approaches to narrative form, character development, and thematic exploration. This research focuses on the works of prominent authors such as Jennifer Egan, Dave Eggers, and Mark Z. Danielewski, whose fiction exemplifies the blending of digital culture with literary creativity. For instance, Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad employs fragmented timelines and PowerPoint slides as narrative devices, reflecting the disjointed yet interconnected realities shaped by digital media. Eggers’ The Circle critiques the omnipresence of social surveillance and the commodification of privacy in the internet age, while Danielewski’s House of Leaves and Only Revolutions experiment with textual architecture and hypertextuality, simulating the immersive and often disorienting experience of navigating digital spaces. By engaging with these examples, the study reveals how fiction not only reflects the anxieties and possibilities of the digital era but also functions as a critical commentary on technological transformations. Ultimately, this research underscores the transformative power of technology in shaping literary expression, positioning fiction as both a mirror to and a critique of the complexities of contemporary digital life.

Published in	International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 13, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13
Page(s)	139-146
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Digital Media and Contemporary Literature, Narrative Innovation in Digital Age, Social Media and Storytelling, Virtual and Augmented Reality in Fiction, Technological Alienation in Narratives, Postmodern Fragmented Storytelling, Datafication of Personal Identity, Nonlinear Storytelling Technique

References

[1]	Egan, J. A Visit from the Goon Squad. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf; 2010, pp. 3–6, 15–18.
[2]	Danielewski, M. Z. House of Leaves. New York, NY: Pantheon; 2000, pp. 22–30, 45–49.
[3]	Eggers, D. The Circle. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf; 2013, pp. 50–58, 75–80, 110–115.
[4]	Tokarczuk, O. Flights. New York, NY: Riverhead Books; 2018, pp. 38–42.
[5]	Lockwood, P. No One Is Talking About This. New York, NY: Riverhead Books; 2021, pp. 88–92.
[6]	Shteyngart, G. Super Sad True Love Story. New York, NY: Random House; 2010, pp. 93–99, 140–145.
[7]	Cline, E. Ready Player One. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group; 2011, pp. 25–30.
[8]	Gibson, W. The Peripheral. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons; 2014, pp. 33–37.
[9]	Stephenson, N. Snow Crash. New York, NY: Bantam Spectra; 1992, pp. 14–20.
[10]	Pynchon, T. Gravity's Rainbow. New York, NY: Viking Press; 1973, pp. 5–15.
[11]	Wallace, D. F. Infinite Jest. Boston, MA: Little, Brown; 1996, pp. 50–60.
[12]	DeLillo, D. White Noise. New York, NY: Viking; 1985, pp. 65–70.
[13]	Franzen, J. Freedom. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; 2010, pp. 73–77.
[14]	Tolentino, J. Trick Mirror. New York, NY: Penguin Press; 2019, pp. 82–87.

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Ahamed, K. (2025). The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 13(6), 139-146. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

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Ahamed, K. The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2025, 13(6), 139-146. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

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Ahamed K. The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. Int J Lit Arts. 2025;13(6):139-146. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13,
  author = {Kawsar Ahamed},
  title = {The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {13},
  number = {6},
  pages = {139-146},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20251306.13},
  abstract = {This study examines the profound impact of technological media on narrative structures in 21st-century fiction. As digital technologies continue to redefine communication, interaction, and perception, contemporary literature has adapted by embracing non-linear storytelling, multimodal formats, and interactive elements that challenge traditional narrative conventions. Writers are increasingly exploring the influence of social media platforms, virtual reality experiences, and the pervasive presence of data-driven culture within their fiction, resulting in innovative approaches to narrative form, character development, and thematic exploration. This research focuses on the works of prominent authors such as Jennifer Egan, Dave Eggers, and Mark Z. Danielewski, whose fiction exemplifies the blending of digital culture with literary creativity. For instance, Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad employs fragmented timelines and PowerPoint slides as narrative devices, reflecting the disjointed yet interconnected realities shaped by digital media. Eggers’ The Circle critiques the omnipresence of social surveillance and the commodification of privacy in the internet age, while Danielewski’s House of Leaves and Only Revolutions experiment with textual architecture and hypertextuality, simulating the immersive and often disorienting experience of navigating digital spaces. By engaging with these examples, the study reveals how fiction not only reflects the anxieties and possibilities of the digital era but also functions as a critical commentary on technological transformations. Ultimately, this research underscores the transformative power of technology in shaping literary expression, positioning fiction as both a mirror to and a critique of the complexities of contemporary digital life.},
 year = {2025}
}

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T1  - The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction
AU  - Kawsar Ahamed
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N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13
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VL  - 13
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Author Information

Kawsar Ahamed

Department of English, City University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5395-3425

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Ahamed, K. (2025). The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 13(6), 139-146. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Ahamed, K. The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2025, 13(6), 139-146. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Ahamed K. The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction. Int J Lit Arts. 2025;13(6):139-146. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13,
  author = {Kawsar Ahamed},
  title = {The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {13},
  number = {6},
  pages = {139-146},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20251306.13},
  abstract = {This study examines the profound impact of technological media on narrative structures in 21st-century fiction. As digital technologies continue to redefine communication, interaction, and perception, contemporary literature has adapted by embracing non-linear storytelling, multimodal formats, and interactive elements that challenge traditional narrative conventions. Writers are increasingly exploring the influence of social media platforms, virtual reality experiences, and the pervasive presence of data-driven culture within their fiction, resulting in innovative approaches to narrative form, character development, and thematic exploration. This research focuses on the works of prominent authors such as Jennifer Egan, Dave Eggers, and Mark Z. Danielewski, whose fiction exemplifies the blending of digital culture with literary creativity. For instance, Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad employs fragmented timelines and PowerPoint slides as narrative devices, reflecting the disjointed yet interconnected realities shaped by digital media. Eggers’ The Circle critiques the omnipresence of social surveillance and the commodification of privacy in the internet age, while Danielewski’s House of Leaves and Only Revolutions experiment with textual architecture and hypertextuality, simulating the immersive and often disorienting experience of navigating digital spaces. By engaging with these examples, the study reveals how fiction not only reflects the anxieties and possibilities of the digital era but also functions as a critical commentary on technological transformations. Ultimately, this research underscores the transformative power of technology in shaping literary expression, positioning fiction as both a mirror to and a critique of the complexities of contemporary digital life.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Impact of Technological Media on Narrative Structures in 21st-century Fiction
AU  - Kawsar Ahamed
Y1  - 2025/12/09
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
SP  - 139
EP  - 146
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20251306.13
AB  - This study examines the profound impact of technological media on narrative structures in 21st-century fiction. As digital technologies continue to redefine communication, interaction, and perception, contemporary literature has adapted by embracing non-linear storytelling, multimodal formats, and interactive elements that challenge traditional narrative conventions. Writers are increasingly exploring the influence of social media platforms, virtual reality experiences, and the pervasive presence of data-driven culture within their fiction, resulting in innovative approaches to narrative form, character development, and thematic exploration. This research focuses on the works of prominent authors such as Jennifer Egan, Dave Eggers, and Mark Z. Danielewski, whose fiction exemplifies the blending of digital culture with literary creativity. For instance, Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad employs fragmented timelines and PowerPoint slides as narrative devices, reflecting the disjointed yet interconnected realities shaped by digital media. Eggers’ The Circle critiques the omnipresence of social surveillance and the commodification of privacy in the internet age, while Danielewski’s House of Leaves and Only Revolutions experiment with textual architecture and hypertextuality, simulating the immersive and often disorienting experience of navigating digital spaces. By engaging with these examples, the study reveals how fiction not only reflects the anxieties and possibilities of the digital era but also functions as a critical commentary on technological transformations. Ultimately, this research underscores the transformative power of technology in shaping literary expression, positioning fiction as both a mirror to and a critique of the complexities of contemporary digital life.
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download