The Stories We Live By Personal Myths and the Making of the Self

by McAdams, Dan P.

• ISBN13: 9781572301887
• ISBN10: 1572301880
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-01-03
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

"Who am I?" "How do I fit in the world around me?" This revealing and innovative book demonstrates that each of us discovers what is true and meaningful, in our lives and in ourselves, through the creation of personal myths. Challenging the traditional view that our personalities are formed by fixed, unchanging characteristics, or by predictable stages through which every individual travels, The Stories We Live By persuasively argues that we are the stories we tell. Informed by extensive scientific research--yet highly readable, engaging, and accessible--the book explores how understanding and revising our personal stories can open up new possibilities for our lives.

Author Biography

Dan P. McAdams , Nothwestern University , Evanston , Il.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION Life and Myth	11	(8)
PART I Making Lives into Stories	19	(98)
CHAPTER 1 The Meaning of Stories	19	(20)
CHAPTER 2 Narrative Tone and Imagery	39	(28)
CHAPTER 3 Theme and Ideological Setting	67	(24)
CHAPTER 4 Becoming the Mythmaker	91	(26)
PART II Story Characters	117	(48)
CHAPTER 5 Character and Imago	117	(16)
CHAPTER 6 Agentic and Communal Characters	133	(32)
PART III The Mythic Challenge of Adulthood	165	(112)
CHAPTER 7 Identity, Malaise, and Faith	165	(30)
CHAPTER 8 Putting It Together in Mid-life	195	(28)
CHAPTER 9 Generating New Beginnings	223	(28)
CHAPTER 10 Exploring Your Myth	251	(26)
EPILOGUE Beyond Stroy	277	(24)
APPENDIX 1 Agency and Communion	281	(12)
APPENDIX 2 Nuclear Episodes	293	(8)
NOTES	301	(26)
INDEX	327