Narrating Identity through Illness: Linguistic Patterns of Continuity and Transformation in Cancer Narratives

Abstract

This study investigates how individuals diagnosed with cancer reconstruct their identities through language, drawing on Paul Ricoeur’s theory of narrative identity. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, thirty personal narratives from the CancerCare “Stories of Help and Hope” database were purposively selected for analysis. The research examines the linguistic strategies, such as temporal structuring, emplotments, metaphor use, and relational positioning, that patients employ to negotiate continuity (idem) and transformation (ipse) in their self-narratives. Findings reveal that temporal markers (“before diagnosis,” “now I am learning”) help reestablish disrupted life timelines, while contrastive connectors (“but,” “then”) facilitate the transformation of chaotic events into coherent plots. Metaphors, both conventional and self-generated, reframe physical and emotional suffering, enabling individuals to make meaning and exercise agency. Shifts from individual to collective pronouns reflect the intersubjective dimension of identity, embedding the self within a network of relationships. The results demonstrate that identity reconstruction in illness narratives is a dynamic interplay between maintaining core values and embracing adaptive change. This study highlights the therapeutic and ethical importance of narrative in healthcare, recommending narrative-based interventions and training to promote empathetic care and support holistic healing.