Abstract
This examination of two-twentieth century pathographies explores the transformative role of narrative in reclaiming identity within a dehumanizing healthcare system, with a focus on women’s experiences. By analyzing Cortney Davis’s essay, “Becoming Flora: When the Written Narrative Is Our Own,” and Amy Haddad’s poem, “What If They Said?” the comparative review underscores how women’s narratives of illness illuminate the challenges of navigating the roles of caregiver and patient. Davis recounts her personal journey as a caregiver crossing the fragile boundary into patienthood, emphasizing shared vulnerability and empathy as a means of redefining identity. Conversely, Haddad uses vivid metaphors to portray the systematic erosion of a female patient’s autonomy, critiquing the paternalistic structures of modern medicine. Together, these narratives illustrate the distinct ways women in healthcare experience a loss of agency and how they continue to fight to reclaim their sense of self – whether through empathy and connection or resistance to dehumanization. The written multimedia analysis concludes that narrative medicine, grounded in women’s perspective, offers a powerful framework for fostering empathetic, patient-centered care while challenging hierarchal medical paradigms.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-2-2025 12:30 PM
End Date
4-3-2025 12:00 AM
Women Reclaiming Identity in a Dehumanizing Healthcare System
Alvin Sherman Library
This examination of two-twentieth century pathographies explores the transformative role of narrative in reclaiming identity within a dehumanizing healthcare system, with a focus on women’s experiences. By analyzing Cortney Davis’s essay, “Becoming Flora: When the Written Narrative Is Our Own,” and Amy Haddad’s poem, “What If They Said?” the comparative review underscores how women’s narratives of illness illuminate the challenges of navigating the roles of caregiver and patient. Davis recounts her personal journey as a caregiver crossing the fragile boundary into patienthood, emphasizing shared vulnerability and empathy as a means of redefining identity. Conversely, Haddad uses vivid metaphors to portray the systematic erosion of a female patient’s autonomy, critiquing the paternalistic structures of modern medicine. Together, these narratives illustrate the distinct ways women in healthcare experience a loss of agency and how they continue to fight to reclaim their sense of self – whether through empathy and connection or resistance to dehumanization. The written multimedia analysis concludes that narrative medicine, grounded in women’s perspective, offers a powerful framework for fostering empathetic, patient-centered care while challenging hierarchal medical paradigms.
Comments
Multimedia Presentation