AUTHORDOCK 5.0

What is the fourth wall?

The "fourth wall" is what actors do to make the act appear real. It's the process of ignoring the audience, focus their attention solely on the make believe. Completely absorbed in its own fiction, what actors do is take on roles in a state 'public solitude' or 'being alone in public.' It's the actor's ability to behave as they would if it were real, and they were alone, despite being watched by others in what is usually a make believe story.

"Breaking the fourth wall" is the term used when the actor (or author) either directly references the work they are in to the audience (or reader). It's a temporary suspension (or sidebar) of the story while it's being told. It may be a personal commentary to draw draws attention to itself in regards to the rest of the story (or performance). It allows the veil to be revealed temporarily, by drawing attention to a larger event taking place. In a way, it's like zooming out or hitting the pause button. Breaking the fourth wall, while originally used in theater, it is often extended to books as well.

Is it possible that the actor (or the author) gets so consumed in the story that they forget the fourth wall actually exists?