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Narrative identity

Philosophy
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Narrative identity is the idea that a person's self is constituted by the stories they tell about their life. Identity is a coherent narrative, not a fixed core.

Detailed Definition
Paul Ricoeur argues identity is a story. In poetry, this appears in the construction of a poetic persona or the exploration of autobiography. A poem becomes a fragment of a life story, shaping how we understand the self. This concept highlights poetry's role in self-creation and the exploration of life's coherence, as poets use narrative to give shape and meaning to their experiences.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem like "The Prelude" by William Wordsworth is a narrative of the poet's own life, constructing his identity through story; The collection of confessional poems by Sylvia Plath, such as "Ariel," can be read as fragments of a narrative identity, exploring a fractured self; A dramatic monologue like "Ulysses" by Tennyson constructs a narrative identity for a mythical character, exploring his heroic ambition; A poem in a persona, like those of Ai, creates a narrative identity for a historical or imagined figure.
Additional Notes
Narrative identity is the philosophical concept that a person's sense of self is constituted by the stories they tell about their life. As articulated by thinkers like Paul Ricoeur, identity is not a fixed, unchanging essence but a dynamic, narrative process. We understand ourselves and our lives as a coherent story with a beginning, middle, and an anticipated end. In poetry, this appears in the construction of a poetic persona, in autobiographical poems, or in poems that explore the act of memory and story-telling. A poem becomes a fragment of a life story, helping to shape and express the poet's identity. This concept highlights poetry's role in self-creation and exploration, showing how we use narrative to give order and meaning to our experiences.
Also Known As
Personal narrative Life story Self-constitution
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