ABSTRACT
I have argued that in spite of changes in contemporary relationships there is still an emphasis on coupledom as part of `normal' adult life. This suggests a dilemma for a woman who is not in a couple relationship of how to feel good about herself and have an empowered self-image. How does she manage this in her talk of relationships? In this chapter I continue to focus on the narratives told by my participants, exploring here some discursive strategies within their stories. In particular I look at how my participants depict agency and choice in their relationships, and the impact this has on the ways in which relationships between women and men are constructed in participants' self-narratives.
