Navigating the Coming-of-Illness Narrative
The article explores the author's personal journey through illness, comparing it to a coming-of-age narrative. It reflects on the gradual and sudden changes that accompany health struggles, highlighting the emotional turmoil and identity shifts that occur. The author emphasizes the importance of literature in navigating these experiences, particularly stories of illness written by women.
- ▪The author describes experiencing both gradual and sudden health issues throughout their life.
- ▪They draw parallels between coming-of-age stories and narratives of illness, noting the lessons learned through these experiences.
- ▪The article highlights a range of illness narratives, particularly those authored by women, and their impact on understanding personal health journeys.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
It can come on you suddenly or gradually: a tsunami or the slowly rising seas eating away at the shoreline till the topography is no longer recognizable. One day you simply wake up underwater, trying desperately not to drown.Article continues after advertisement I went through both—the gradual creep of illness and the sudden riptide pulling me out to sea. At first it was a small accumulation of changes: broken thyroid, misbehaving heart, guts that refused certain foods. A heart surgery here, a knee surgery there, a burst ovarian cyst to keep things interesting. And in between, long stretches of normalcy. Cloudy days, sunny ones, school and work, sex and friends and fights and books, always more books to read. I stayed away from the ones too much like me, at first.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Literary Hub.
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