Autobiografia Literatura Kultura Media


ISSN: 2353-8694     eISSN: 2719-4361    OAI    DOI: 10.18276/au.2024.1.22-02
CC BY-SA   Open Access   DOAJ  ERIH PLUS

Issue archive / nr 1 (22) 2024
Your Illness. Second Person Narrative in Non-Fictional Stories of Health Crises

Authors: Joanna Jeziorska-Haładyj ORCID
Uniwersytet Warszawski
Keywords: non-fiction second person narrative illness diary
Whole issue publication date:2024
Page range:12 (19-30)
Cited-by (Crossref) ?:

Abstract

In the article I examine the phenomenon of non-fictional second person narratives frequently used to describe the experience of illness. Three case studies are analyzed: the ICU diaries, written by nurses for patients with impaired consciousness, a flash non-fiction story "Handwashing Dishes" by Melissa Olson-Petrie, and Marya’s Hornbacher’s autobiography "Wasted" about the author’s struggle with eating disorders. Behind each of the narratives stands a different motivation to adopt the second person. I focus on various meanings and functions of the “you”, trying to figure out how the “unnatural” form suits the “unnatural” situation of a health crisis.
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