Our Stories, Our Selves: A Study of Narrative Identity Formation

Abstract

Narrative is more than just a synonym for story—it includes written as well as spoken words, formal and informal storytelling, and the language of everyday life. Narrative shapes how we see the events of our lives and even our responses to them; it gives meaning to the otherwise random set of circumstances into which we are birthed; it connects us to culturally specific ways of knowing and experiencing our world; and narrative puts us into conversation with our own past, present, and future. Stories help individuals see how the world works and how their lives fit within it. This project combines theories of narrative identity with reflections on my experiences as a creative writing instructor at a summer camp in Kalamazoo, Michigan.