Situating Narrative Inquiry

3/8/2011

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Situating Narrative Inquiry did not draw me in as much. Though I thought they had some useful advice, the article was much more point blank and offered more definitions and straightforward terms than analytical thinking. 

A recognition that capturing the particular and local rather than insisting on the development and validity of a “grand narrative” of a culture is a worthy goal (Geertz, 1983)

People tend to make such a big deal lately out of the culture that I feel like they have started to forget the individual. Especially in my teaching classes lately, we have been discussing respecting culture and multiculturalism repeatably. Though I wouldn't call this lesson useless, I definitely think it's overemphasized. As teachers, we shouldn't be so distracted by someone's culture, so why are we making it such a big deal? We should be able to look at the whole person no matter what and see what exactly it is that makes them a true individual. We put such a focus on these seemingly big things, but I think the little things, the particulars, the local, matter just as much if not more. These are the things that need to be recognized, so I definitely find this a "worthy goal."

Such a stance assumes that time is real and static rather than constructed or influenced by culture or individual human interaction (Slife, 1993).

Time is always moving. However, time is not influenced by a person, the person is influenced by time. So many people live their lives trying to race against the clock whether it is for sport or simply a part of their daily lives. They have to make the best of it and use time to their advantage. Time will always be there. Though it is constantly changing, this is still a static reality. No one can change or stop time. Individuals and cultures need to realize that they are still control over time in their own lives. No one can dictate for another what to do with it, but we all hope we make use of it. We are the influencing factor on time, not the other way around.

A turn toward acceptance of multiple ways of knowing the world is a turn toward establishing findings through authenticity, resonance, or trustworthiness (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Denzin & Lincoln, 1994).

This was probably my favorite quote throughout the selection. Everyone has a different view of the world. They feel differently about different subjects and different people, but this does not make their view wrong if you do not agree with it. This is that person’s absolute truth, their knowledge of the world based off their own experiences. Just because you cannot know their same world does not make it any less authentic or real. It is still real to them and understanding that can only make you a more researched and trustworthy person overall.

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Narrative Inquiry

3/7/2011

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There were quite a few quotes I found while reading Narrative Inquiry that really stuck me. Here I have offered the quotes and provided my own feelings towards them underneath.

"The answer to the question, Why narrative? is, Because experience."

I think that this simply phrased statement explains the entire writing process. I know in my experience I need to write after big occurances or thoughts to sort myself out. I cannot process everything that has happened to me in such an experience without writing. When you think about it, almost all good writing is prompted from experience because it is in these instances where you can sympathize with the character. Where you can feel what they feel and truly be a part of the story. When you are distanced from the experience, you might find it fascinating, but you can only wish to be a part of it. Our narratives tell the audience everything they need to know about our experiences.

Ming Fang's long-ago China stories and present-day Canadian ones help us, as Blaise (1993) suggests, "live in their countries, speak their language, negotiate their streets on their buses and turn our keys in their locks" (p.201). .

I really loved the way this was phrased. "Live in their countries, speak their language, negotiate their streets on their buses and turn our keys in their locks..." This is everything we can hope for from a story. As I touched on above, the stories we tend to crave are the ones we can be a part of. If you can be in that moment, if you can be on their buses, the author has achieved the upmost form of success from their writing. It is the kind that everyone should strive to as they construct their stories. Most likely, it is one that the author has already lived. If they can allow the reader to do the same, they have done their job.

"Sometimes, this means that our own unnamed, perhaps secret, stories come to light as much as do those of our participants. This confronting of ourselves in our narrative past makes us vulnerable as inquirers because it makes secret stories public."

This quote exactly captures how I feel about my Twitterive. Though I did not have to research to do my project or conduct studies and interviews, it was an examination of myself, one that was very much unintentional. The story I told is one that I hold away from some of my closest friends because in my mind, it is almost as if everytime I share it with someone, I am getting judged. My secrets are out on the table and my world is no longer as safe. My relationship is no longer as safe. And yet for the sake of what will hopefully become great writing and a better understanding, I left my Twitterive up. I continued through with it even once I realized what it was about to become. I think that happens to every writer at some point. A bit of yourself, intentionally or not, is reflected through your writing for the word to see. Even if you are not writing your own story, it will find you, which is exactly what this quote tries to tell you.




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