Metaphor in Illness Writing: Fight and Battle Reused

Metaphor in Illness Writing explores how contemporary North American writers reimagine and reappropriate the harmful metaphor of illness as a fight, turning it into a space of agency, resistance, self-knowledge, and aesthetic pleasure. It responds to the call for more metaphor literacy and competence in Medical Humanities.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Metaphor in Illness Writing presents a compelling argument that even when a metaphor appears problematic and limiting, it should not be discarded or dismissed outright. Metaphors, rather than being inherently harmful or beneficial, possess the remarkable ability to be employed in unexpected and creative ways. This insightful book delves into the examination of illness writing by contemporary North American writers who reimagine and reappropriate the supposedly harmful metaphor of illness as a fight. Through a meticulous analysis, it reveals how Susan Sontag, Audre Lorde, Anatole Broyard, David Foster Wallace, and other writers transform this combat metaphor into a realm of agency, resistance, self-knowledge, and aesthetic pleasure. By engaging in this reappropriation, these writers challenge the prevailing narrative dominance in Medical Humanities and respond to the urgent call for increased metaphor literacy and metaphor competence.

The book's exploration of illness writing serves as a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation in Medical Humanities. It offers an alternative perspective to the prevalent narrative approach and responds to the need for diverse modes of expression in healthcare communication. By embracing metaphor as a tool for understanding and navigating the complexities of illness, the book encourages readers to engage with the world from fresh and imaginative angles. It promotes a deeper understanding of the human experience and fosters empathy and compassion, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare services and the well-being of individuals affected by illness.

Weight: 482g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399500869