Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-76).

Introducing fiction and pragmatics -- Participation structure -- Performance -- Interaction -- Discourse and ideologies through character creation -- Conclusions and outlook.

"This Element outlines current issues in the study of the pragmatics of fiction. It starts from the premise that fictional texts are complex and multilayered communicative acts which deserve attention in pragmatic research in their own right, and it highlights the need to understand them as cultural artefacts rich in possibilities to explore pragmatic effects and pragmatic theorising. The issues covered are (1) the participation structure of fictional texts, (2) the performance aspect of fictional texts, (3) the interaction between readers and viewers and the fictional texts, and (4) the pragmatic effects of drawing on indexical linguistic features for evoking ideologies in characterisation"--