At what age are people considered “old”? Does old age start when people retire and become grandparents, or is it the age of 65 that determines old age, as proposed by many governments and institutions ? Is it someone’s physical and mental condition that helps us distinguish between “old” and “not yet old”, or does old age start once people talk more about “bygone days” than future events? As a matter of fact, no universal definition of “old” and “old age” exists, simply because these terms are highly relative by nature and differ widely across individuals, cultures, and periods . Although ageing is an “inevitable shared human experience” that starts from the day we are born and ends with our death, most people are reluctant to give any thoughts to this delicate and uncanny subject, at least, as they are young and healthy. Yet, the subjects of ageing and older age are becoming more and more important due to the increasing life-expectancy and the growing number of older people in most countries around the world. The fact that people today live longer than ever before in human history can be regarded as a great societal achievement, but it has ironically created new problems for individuals and society as a whole. The prevalence of age-related chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s increases with age and causes new challenges for affected people and their families . Moreover, health care costs have dramatically increased in most western societies and the burden of these costs continues to shift to younger generations who have to care for an increasing number of older people. These and other issues have given rise to a public and academic discourse on ageing and older age that is marked by ambiguity and scepticism, reflecting people’s mixed feelings about the subject matter. Apart from economic and financial issues, older age has long been perceived as a period of decline and deterioration, while positive aspects and opportunities have not been taken into account. This overemphasis on negative aspects of ageing has also been facilitated by an “obsession with youth” , promoted by the media, consumerism, popular culture, and the fashion industry . Moreover, as Sugar et al. argue, “there has been a lack of recognition […] of the realities of an aging population” .
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. AGEING AND OLDER AGE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
2.1 GROWING OLD IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY AND CULTURE
2.2 THE SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC VIEW OF AGEING
3. THE VIEW OF AGEING AND OLDER AGE IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
3.1 A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
3.1.1 Classical Greek and Roman Literature
3.1.2 The Middle Ages and the Renaissance
3.1.3 Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century
3.1.4 From Nineteenth Century to Contemporary Literature
3.2 THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF LITERATURE ON AGEING
4. THE VIEW OF AGEING IN SELECTED CANADIAN SHORT STORIES
4.1 AGEING AS A NARRATIVE OF DECLINE: “THE LABRADOR FIASCO” AND “MISS FOOTE”
4.2 AGEING AS A NARRATIVE OF OPPORTUNITY: “A CHAIR FOR GEORGE” AND “THE BEAR CAME OVER THE MOUNTAIN”
4.3 BEYOND A DUALISTIC APPROACH: A REALISTIC DEPICTION OF AGEING IN “THE BAD NEWS” AND “DOLLY”
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to examine the multifaceted themes of ageing and older age in a selection of contemporary Canadian short stories, situating them within the broader context of private, public, and academic discourse. The research explores how these literary narratives both reflect and challenge prevailing socio-cultural perceptions of later life.
- The intersection of gerontology, literary studies, and cultural perceptions of ageing.
- Categorization of short stories into narratives of decline, opportunity, and realistic depiction.
- Analysis of identity, frailty, memory loss, and social roles in later life.
- The function of literature in fostering empathy and broadening the societal understanding of the ageing process.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 Classical Greek and Roman Literature
The view of older age in ancient Greece was rather negative or at least ambiguous. In a culture that admired the youth and everything that was “aesthetically pleasant” (Bagnell and Soper 1989: 18), older age was often negatively connoted or ignored (ibid: 18). This view is also reflected in the literary works and philosophical writings of that time. The Greek poet Mimnermus, for instance, is “longing for precious youth” (Mimnermus 1866, cited in Bagnell and Soper 1989: 18) and does not want to become older than sixty years because he believes old age is “painful and ugly” (ibid: 18). Since the number of reliable sources is limited, it is, however, not entirely clear how older people were actually treated in ancient Greece (Blaikie 1999: 29). Apart from this, some scholars argue that, due to the lower number of older people in society and the lower life-expectancy, the Greek were not too much concerned with ageing and older age, but instead were interested in other topics such as dying and death (Blaikie 1999: 29). It is also important to keep in mind, that those writers who engaged with the themes of ageing and older age depicted their own subjective views rather than reflecting the general views prevalent in society at that time.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the societal and academic challenges of defining old age and outlines the work's focus on analyzing ageing through selected Canadian literature.
2. AGEING AND OLDER AGE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: This chapter provides an overview of how ageing is conceptualized in modern society, politics, and scientific fields like gerontology.
3. THE VIEW OF AGEING AND OLDER AGE IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE: This chapter offers a historical perspective on the representation of ageing in literature and discusses the function of literary studies in complementing scientific approaches.
4. THE VIEW OF AGEING IN SELECTED CANADIAN SHORT STORIES: This chapter presents the core analysis of six selected short stories, categorized into three distinct narrative types of ageing.
5. CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that literature offers a diverse, realistic, and multifaceted understanding of ageing that challenges binary stereotypes.
Keywords
Ageing, Older Age, Canadian Literature, Gerontology, Ageing Studies, Narrative of Decline, Narrative of Opportunity, Realistic Depiction, Dementia, Identity, Social Construct, Ageism, Life-expectancy, Humanities, Cultural Perception
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The work focuses on the multifaceted representation of ageing and older age within selected contemporary Canadian short stories, exploring how these narratives relate to and challenge societal and academic perceptions.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The main themes include the societal obsession with youth, the discourse of decline, the potential for new opportunities in later life, and the complex realities of ageing depicted through personal and identity-based struggles.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to categorize specific literary texts into different "narratives of ageing" to analyze how they provide a more comprehensive view of later life than conventional scientific discourses might offer.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The research adopts an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating gerontological insights with literary analysis to move beyond the "scientificity" of traditional research and explore ageing as a complex cultural and social phenomenon.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines historical views on ageing, provides an academic context via gerontology, and conducts a detailed textual analysis of six specific short stories by authors such as Alice Munro and Margaret Atwood.
How would you characterize the work using keywords?
Key terms include ageing, Canadian short stories, narrative identity, gerontology, literary studies, dementia, and cultural representation.
How does the work categorize the selected short stories?
The stories are grouped into three categories: Ageing as a Narrative of Decline, Ageing as a Narrative of Opportunity, and A Realistic Depiction of Ageing.
How does the analysis of "The Labrador Fiasco" specifically address the ageing process?
The story parallels an elderly father's physical and mental deterioration with a historical expedition narrative, highlighting his desperate struggle to maintain his identity and relevance as he declines.
What is the significance of the "dichotomous view" that the author aims to surpass?
The author challenges the binary perception that older age is exclusively either a period of total decline or a purely positive, opportunity-filled time, arguing for a more realistic and complex understanding.
How does Alice Munro's "Dolly" contribute to the discussion on ageing?
The story explores how themes of love, affection, and jealousy remain relevant even in advanced age, demonstrating that personal, non-age-related struggles persist despite the physical changes of later life.
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- Anonym (Autor:in), 2017, The View of Ageing and Older Age in Selected Canadian Short Stories, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/437127
