In Janice Kulyk Keefer’s The Green Library, it is Eva Chown, a forty-three year old middle class woman living in Canada, who tries to find her Ukrainian identity within herself through stories. She has to go back to the stories of her ancestors and to a history of a country she barely knows in order to find out what ‘being half Ukrainian’ means to her and her son, Ben. On her way back ”[…] into a world of stories […]” (Keefer, 1998, 17) she listens to many of them told by strangers, reads history books, and also “makes up” her own stories of what might have happened. In whichever form the stories appear, they change her life and mark her identity. But it is not only Eva whose identity is so often influenced by stories. The Green Library presents many characters who define themselves through stories in one way or another.
This paper will argue that stories are the marker of one’s identity, that they can even help construct it. These stories can be based upon personal experiences or historical events. They can be true for everybody or they can only be true for the person telling them. As Dan P. McAdams, Ruthleen Josselson, and Amia Lieblich put it in their book Identity and Story: Creating Self in Narrative “We are all storytellers, and we are the stories we tell.” (3) Furthermore our “[…] identities are the stories we live by.” (McAdams, Josselson, Lieblich 4)
In the beginning of the paper the concepts of story, history, and identity, which are relevant for the theses, are briefly defined. It will be analysed which impact stories can have on the life of a person and various examples from the Green Library will be discussed. Since ‘Eva’ is the protagonist of the novel the paper will very often be concentrated on her experiences but will also include other character’s stories. After that it will be analysed how identities can be constructed through stories with the example of Oksanna Moroz. In the end there will be a description of the value of history in the book and the differences and similarities between story and history will be deconstructed primarily regarding the aspect of truth. In conclusion the concept of a bloodline as one major marker of identity will be discussed.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Story
1.2 History
1.3 Identity
2. “We are all tellers of tales” (McAdams 11)
2.1 Stories help us to understand other people (McAdams 11)
2.1.1 Stories about Eva’s ancestors
2.1.2 Stories about Ukraine
2.2 Stories help you to understand yourself
3. To construct an identity through stories
4. History and Truth
4.1 Value of History in the book
4.2 Influence of history on Dan and Alex
4.3. Difference between History and Story – Truth
4.4 Making up stories
4.4.1 The story about Eva’s father
4.4.2 Ben and his grandpa
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
The paper examines how storytelling acts as a fundamental marker and construction tool for identity, specifically analyzing Janice Kulyk Keefer’s novel "The Green Library" to demonstrate how characters navigate personal and historical narratives to define their sense of self.
- The intersection of personal narrative and individual identity.
- The role of ancestral stories in bridging cultural gaps for second-generation immigrants.
- The distinction between "History" as factual record and "Story" as a tool for coherence and truth-making.
- The influence of social environment and family secrets on narrative construction.
- The interplay between bloodlines and stories in establishing belonging.
Excerpt from the Book
4.4 Making up stories
Since Eva can not talk to her mum she very often tries to imagine how her life might have been in the beginning of the novel. She even starts out making up stories. “[…] Eva tells herself a story. The story of her mother’s life, as far as she’s been able to construct it, from scraps of evidence no one had thought to tidy up; […]” (Keefer, 1996, 26)
‘It’s not there fault if we make up stories about the people in these photographs, invent lives , resemblances, futures for them they could not possibly have had, may never have wanted. We appropriate them for our purposes, making mysteries or moral fables out of the way they stand; the clothes, the very faces they wear.” (Keefer, 1998, 59)
Making up these stories helps us to interlink our ancestor’s life-stories with our own life. Eva’s childhood and her relationship to her mother have always been very “special”. Her mum seems to have never been one for a huge display of affection towards her daughter. Their home was full of secrecy which laid the path for Eva’s affection of storytelling and secrets.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction defines the core concepts of story, history, and identity, establishing the thesis that stories are essential markers of identity construction.
2. “We are all tellers of tales” (McAdams 11): This chapter explores the psychological necessity of storytelling, arguing that narratives help individuals understand both others and themselves.
3. To construct an identity through stories: The chapter focuses on the social and personal construction of identity, highlighting how individuals use stories to find their place in the social order.
4. History and Truth: This section investigates the complex relationship between objective history and subjective storytelling, specifically focusing on the aspect of truth and the influence of historical context on characters.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that while bloodlines provide a foundation, stories are the necessary component to create a meaningful connection to one's heritage and identity.
Keywords
Identity, Storytelling, Janice Kulyk Keefer, The Green Library, Narrative, History, Truth, Ukrainian-Canadian, Ancestors, Memory, Bloodline, Social Construction, Personal Myth, Cultural Belonging, Self-Discovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
This paper explores the role of storytelling as a primary mechanism for constructing and marking individual identity within Janice Kulyk Keefer’s novel "The Green Library".
What are the central thematic fields discussed?
The central themes include the psychological function of narrative, the tension between factual history and subjective story, the impact of ancestral heritage, and the construction of immigrant identities.
What is the core research question?
The research asks how stories—whether based on personal experience or historical events—serve as a marker for identity and assist in constructing a coherent sense of self.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a literary analysis methodology, interpreting the novel’s plot and character development through the lens of identity theories from psychologists like Dan P. McAdams.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main body treats the definition of stories versus history, the role of "making up" stories when evidence is missing, and the way specific characters like Eva and Oksanna use narrative to negotiate their Ukrainian-Canadian heritage.
Which key concepts characterize the paper?
The most important concepts are "life-story," "narrative identity," "the construction of history," "bloodline vs. story," and "cultural displacement."
How does the author define the difference between history and story?
The paper argues that while history is generally objective and factual, stories are subjective and prioritize personal meaning, feelings, and the user's need for coherence over raw facts.
Why is the concept of a "bloodline" discussed in the conclusion?
The bloodline is analyzed as an alternative or complementary factor to storytelling in building identity, though the author concludes that blood alone is insufficient to build a bridge to one's heritage without the stories that give that heritage meaning.
- Citar trabajo
- Anika Kehl (Autor), 2010, Stories as the marker of one’s identity in Janice Kulyk Keefer’s "The Green Library", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/279052
