Lessons in Memoirs Reflect Author Identity on the Journey Toward Communicative Recovery

EasyChair Preprint 6875

Abstract

Memoirs of people who have aphasia offer a rich, accessible source of insights into their lived experience. In the tradition of narrative medicine, we seek out stories of people with aphasia, equipping us to be “more humane, more ethical” in our clinical practice and research (Charon, 2006, p. vii). Traditionally, the field has focused on linguistic deficits in elicited oral or written narratives.  A relatively new approach to narratology is thematic analysis of memoirs. Memoirs of 44 people impacted by aphasia and stroke were analyzed for lessons learned in their journey, as shaped by their identity. Nine cultures were represented, across 19 women and 25 men; mostly middle-aged writers, professors and physicians.  Lessons reflected gratitude for survival and recovery, and life affirmation.  Themes in lessons that varied across cultures and genders included consistency of effort; solace in simple pleasures of life; religion; pride in cultural heritage; gratitude for support of family; and beauty in nature, art, and music. Memoir writing of people with stroke and aphasia, which allows unfettered time for composition, may be ideally suited as a timeless contribution in human legacy.

Keyphrases: Legacy, Memoirs, Quest, aphasia, communication, content, culture, discourse, identity, narrative

@booklet{EasyChair:6875,
  author    = {Hanna Ulatowska and Gloria Streit Olness},
  title     = {Lessons in Memoirs Reflect Author Identity on the Journey Toward Communicative Recovery},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 6875},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}