ABSTRACT

Various claims have been made concerning the role of narrative in grief. In this paper, we emphasize the need for a discerning approach, which acknowledges that narratives of different kinds relate to grief in different ways. We focus specifically on the positive contributions that narrative can make to sustaining, restoring and revising a sense of who one is. We argue that, although it is right to suggest that narratives provide structure and coherence, they also play a complementary role in disrupting established structure and opening up new possibilities. We add that both of these roles point to the importance of interpersonal, social and cultural factors in shaping the trajectory of grief. We conclude by briefly considering the implications for distinguishing between typical and pathological forms of grief.

摘要

关于叙事在悲伤中的作用，人们提出了各种说法。在本文中，我们强调需要一种有洞察力的方法，它承认不同类型的叙述以不同的方式与悲伤相关。我们特别关注叙事可以为维持、恢复和修正谁的意识做出的积极贡献一个是。我们认为，尽管认为叙事提供了结构和连贯性是正确的，但它们在破坏既定结构和开辟新的可能性方面也发挥着补充作用。我们补充说，这两个角色都指出了人际、社会和文化因素在塑造悲伤轨迹中的重要性。最后，我们简要考虑区分典型和病态悲伤形式的含义。