ABSTRACT
The work of Cohler (1982), Gergen and Gergen (1987), Sarbin (1986), and others has focused on the function of narrative in constituting identity. These theorists have argued that ego integration and a sense of personal well-being are dependent on a person’s ability to maintain a coherent narrative that accounts for normative life changes. More significantly, a workable narrative must be able to incorporate or minimize unexpected and often discrediting life events that may challenge core aspects of one’s self-concept. A sense of identity depends on having a story line that organizes the events and relationships of the past, assigns a consistent character to the self and to significant others in one’s life, and provides a plot line that leads in a coherent way from the past into the present and future. The question, “Who am I?” can really only be addressed through the question, “What is my story?”
