Choose a passage from the McIntyre reading that describes a particular aspect of persons as the subject of a narrative. Quote the passage, explain it, and tell a specific, personal, life experience that illustrates its significance with respect to identity (your identity).
McIntyre argues that we are all just “story telling animals”. He believes in order for human beings to keep going, we have to associate ourselves with a certain narrative. “I am the subject of a history that is my own and no one elses, that has its on peculiar meaning” (McIntyre last page) He goes on to explain, if there is no meaning in ones life then they will become depressed and in some cases commit suicide. If we do not associate our lives with a certain narrative or story then there will be no point to keep going. If there is no climax and build up to a certain event then we will not be happy.
I agree with McIntyre in the sense that the vast majority of people have to see there lives as a story. From birth we are subject to different media that tells us we have to embark on a journey to become something. Most movies follow a plot that describes a hero’s journey. This plot, that is followed by a lot of movies today, involves a main character that overcomes adversity and eventually resolves it through hard work. I think that we have to associate ourselves with a hero that overcomes adversity in order to accomplish our goals. For me, my successes and failures and everything I try to accomplish begins with a goal. Once I have that goal, I try to imagine how I am going to get there, what its going to be like if I succeed and from there what I am going to do next. One example for me is college. I am in the process of trying to get my degree so I can use it to then get a job and so on and so on. I imagine myself getting a degree and I imagine what it will be like once I have it. It is a narrative that I have spelled out in my head. Through this outcome I give myself a new identity. I can then say I am a college graduate.
contobe 