Illness Narratives

Catalog description

(PL) This course explores the different stories told about illness: by our culture, by the medical profession, and by sick people themselves. Our aim will be to examine how such stories can help, and sometimes hurt, people trying to understand and come to terms with their illnesses. In addition to fictional literary texts, we will read nonfictional accounts of illness written by the sick and suffering, and study different "types" of illness narratives, and the effect they have on the ill.