Intertextuality in Jamshid Khaanian's Young Adult Meta-Novel, The Beautiful Heart of Babur

The Beautiful Heart of Babur written by Jamshid Khanian is a meta-story in which the writer has tried to use a new form of narration, avoiding the traditional ones simultaneously. In a meta-story, narrator thinks about the methods of narration. One of the other peculiarities of a meta-story is being skillful in using intertextuality. The relation between a text with other text or texts is termed intertextuality. The main technique of Khanian in this story, in addition to explaining the development of the story, is the use of intertextual elements as well as creating conversations, by using known stories for children and teenagers, especially Little Prince of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Referring to well-known texts in the story of Beautiful Heart if Babur helps to develop the process of narration, forming elements of the story, and inspiring meanings, thus making them acceptable. The views of teenagers who are the audience of this story show that they can relate to this kind of story-writing.