A literary movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, Postmodernism was a response to the perceived limitations and conventions of Modernism. It is characterized by a rejection of traditional narrative structures, an embrace of fragmentation and discontinuity, and a blurring of the boundaries between fiction and reality. Postmodern literature often reflects the complexities and contradictions of contemporary society, challenging readers to question their assumptions and rethink their understanding of the world. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again specifically references Postmodern authors like Pynchon and DeLillo, and Wallace himself is typically included in the canon of Postmodern authors.

In the literary technique of metafiction, a work of fiction self-consciously draws attention to its own status as an artifact, blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, and often challenging traditional notions of narrative and authorship. In metafiction, the text becomes aware of itself as a constructed entity, and the author deliberately foregrounds the act of storytelling, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of fiction and the ways in which stories shape our understanding of the world. In A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, Wallace writes about metafiction and its relationship to television.