Between Object and Discourse: The Dual Universe of Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves.

This article analyzes the complex narrative and structural dynamics of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel *House of Leaves*, focusing on its presentation as a dual universe between object and discourse. It explores how the novel's layered authorship—through characters Zampanò and Johnny Truant—and its physical form as a manuscript within the storyworld create tensions between textual authority and reader interpretation. The discussion highlights the novel's use of unnatural narrative techniques, including metalepsis (transgressions between narrative levels) and the interplay of naturalizing and unnaturalizing reading strategies, which challenge readers to engage actively with undecidable meanings. Furthermore, the article examines Danielewski's self-insertion as an authorial "god" figure, complicating boundaries between fiction and reality, while emphasizing the novel's invitation to communal and interpretive participation. Ultimately, *House of Leaves* is presented as a labyrinthine artifact that resists definitive interpretation, foregrounding the reader's role in navigating its paradoxes and sustaining its ongoing narrative presence.