Exploring temporality in first-person illness narratives (France, 1910-2017)
Reddan, Aileen
Reddan, Aileen
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Publication Date
2023-06-21
Type
Thesis
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Abstract
This thesis considers how first-person written accounts might provide an understanding of the lived experience of illness in France by exploring how temporality is evoked and expressed in texts drawn from a French archive of life writing, L’Association pour l’autobiographie et le patrimoine autobiographique (L’APA). The questions addressed are: How is temporality expressed in first-person illness narratives? What is the influence of turning points? How are the effects of illness on everyday experiences and the impact of healthcare culture manifest in the texts? How do the writers reflect changes in their temporality? Dialogical Narrative Analysis (DNA) is used to analyse a select sample of texts that are contextualised and elucidated by reference to secondary source materials, which are drawn from the fields of French studies, life writing, narrative medicine and medical humanities. My research approach, which places the patient’s story at the centre of the analysis, is informed by the principle of ‘narrative humility’ from narrative medicine and the ethos of the Archive to « lire en sympathie ». These illness narratives share common themes in the writers expression of temporality, including turning points and the impact of illness on their daily lives. The diversity of genres and the idiosyncratic approaches some writers take in expressing their temporality and their desire to ‘laisser une trace’ reflect the culture of life writing in France. Illness narratives provide significant insights into patients’ experiences, which could be harnessed in educational programmes to improve patient care. These texts also provide cultural information, which could be used to ameliorate the social context of those who are living with illness. This research project demonstrates how L’APA’s archive of life writing is a rich resource for further enquiry within the interdisciplinary field of French studies and medical humanities.
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NUI Galway