Illness and Second Person-Narrative in Eivind Grip Fjær's novel Det stemmer ikke

Abstract

The article reflects on the relationship between second-person narrative and caregiver narrative in the novel Det stemmer ikke (2021) by Eivind Grip Fjær and is inspired by Grace Hibsham’s theory of conceiving one’s own life as a second-person narrative. The analysis of the novel demonstrates how traditional caregiving practices on the part of relatives can solidify the ill person’s role and self-perception as a patient and as sick. The narratological reading offers new perspectives to thematical readings in Medical Humanities and offers insights into what it means to be both ill and a caregiver. By focusing on the second-person form, the novel expands the understanding of caregiver narratives (curography) to also include the ill person, and underscores the importance of self-care for the ill.