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Personal Narratives and Selfhood Week 5

Today… • Transcribe • Reading Presentations • Analysis

Transcribe… to convert spoken or recorded speech into written text

Transcript Text of audio documented according to research goals Always includes: words May include: tone, inflections, time stamps, vocal gestures Usually takes 4-6x length of audio to transcribe (10 minutes of audio = 40-60 minutes to transcribe) AI transcription tools exist, always double check accuracy

Sample Transcript [2:06] I: So, what was it like growing up in this neighborhood? Like what kinds of, how is the neighborhood different or similar THEN than it is now?

RR: When I was growing up it was tough. We never had nothing really, you know what I mean? Like even my son, we used to go to school…like nowadays everybody’s got brand new things. But we didn’t have those things, you know. We used to go with cardboard in our shoes, you know. But the thing about it is it taught us something. We didn’t know how poor we were. We didn’t know we were poor. To us it was a normal thing. Until later on after you got older and started seeing things. Our son is like going into junior high school where you start seeing different kids, more kids from different areas, you know. And you start seeing what THEY got, and you’re sitting here saying I would like…and what that does is, to us, to guys like me, we grew up wanting those things so we started taking [long emphasis] them, you know what I mean. But the thing is now, what you learn, what everyone has…I learned to take, I never gave, because I never had nothing to begin with, I figured. Whatever I can take I can. I can’t afford it, I can’t work. I was too young, and my parents, they can’t afford it. So you do what you got to do.

I: That’s very common. You’ve got to survive, right. You do what you need to do.

RR: But I got into a lot of trouble when I was young, you know. I was taken away and things like that but the thing about it is [pause] then everybody was safe. Everybody didn’t jump on anybody, you know what I mean. But now it’s a lot different. Now you can walk down the same neighborhood as somebody else (xxx 0:03:47) and they jump on each other and nobody’s got no kind of respect. At that time we did what we did but we had respect for each other, you know what mean. We respected each other and we respected especially adults. We learned how to respect adults at that time. [4:02]

In-Class Assignment: Part 1

• Transcribe your interview • Document: • Turn taking • What was said • Include pauses, laughter, emphasis –

put in brackets after text • Time stamp every new interview

question

• Use word doc

Sample Transcript [2:06] I: So, what was it like growing up in this neighborhood? Like what kinds of, how is the neighborhood different or similar THEN than it is now?

RR: When I was growing up it was tough. We never had nothing really, you know what I mean? Like even my son, we used to go to school…like nowadays everybody’s got brand new things. But we didn’t have those things, you know. We used to go with cardboard in our shoes, you know. But the thing about it is it taught us something. We didn’t know how poor we were. We didn’t know we were poor. To us it was a normal thing. Until later on after you got older and started seeing things. Our son is like going into junior high school where you start seeing different kids, more kids from different areas, you know. And you start seeing what THEY got, and you’re sitting here saying I would like…and what that does is, to us, to guys like me, we grew up wanting those things so we started taking [long emphasis] them, you know what I mean. But the thing is now, what you learn, what everyone has…I learned to take, I never gave, because I never had nothing to begin with, I figured. Whatever I can take I can. I can’t afford it, I can’t work. I was too young, and my parents, they can’t afford it. So you do what you got to do.

I: That’s very common. You’ve got to survive, right. You do what you need to do.

RR: But I got into a lot of trouble when I was young, you know. I was taken away and things like that but the thing about it is [pause] then everybody was safe. Everybody didn’t jump on anybody, you know what I mean. But now it’s a lot different. Now you can walk down the same neighborhood as somebody else (xxx 0:03:47) and they jump on each other and nobody’s got no kind of respect. At that time we did what we did but we had respect for each other, you know what mean. We respected each other and we respected especially adults. We learned how to respect adults at that time. [4:02]

ANALYSIS

Narratives of Personal Experience

• Oral narrative of personal experience (Labov) • “One method of recapitulating past experience by matching a verbal sequence of

clauses to the sequence of events which (it is inferred) actually occurred” (Linde, p. 68)

Independent clause: Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news. Dependent clause: Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news

• Taken as representation of lived experience, actual occurrences • Relies on narrative presupposition (assumes narrative sequence mirrors

actual lived sequence)

1. Structural Analysis: Sociolinguistics (Labov) 1. Abstract

• Opening statement or summary of the narrative. What is this story going to be about?

2. Orientation

• Background information necessary to understand the story. Who? Where? When? What?

• It sets the scene and introduces the key elements of the narrative, sets context.

3. Complicating Action

• Describes the events or actions that move the story forward.

• This is the heart of the narrative, where the conflict, problem, or key event occurs.

• It is often the most detailed and longest portion of the narrative.

4. Evaluation

• Narrator reflects on the significance of the events or provides personal commentary on the story.

• Helps the storyteller explain why the event is important or how it affected them.

• The evaluation can be explicit (a direct statement) or implicit (through tone, pauses, or word choice).

• The evaluation might come throughout the narrative, not just in one place, and is often inserted in ways that show how the narrator feels about the event.

5. Resolution

• Outcome or conclusion of the narrative. What happened as a result of the complicating action?

6. Coda (optional)

• Marks the end of the narrative, connects the story back to the present moment.

• It signals to the listener that the story is over, and it often brings the speaker back to the present context or reflects on the meaning of the story.

• May offer a final reflection or moral of the story.

• Narrative Structure:

• Personal experience narratives generally follow a predictable structure

• Elements may appear in varying order, but most narratives contain these key components

• Focus on Tension and Evaluation:

• The tension created by the complicating action (the problem or crisis) and the narrator’s evaluation (the emotional or reflective interpretation)

are central to understanding the meaning of the narrative.

• The Role of the Listener:

• Recognize that the narrative is a dialogic interaction between the storyteller and the audience.

• The storyteller often adjusts the evaluation based on how they perceive the listener’s response, and the evaluation is often shaped by social

and emotional factors.

• Social Function of Narratives:

• Narratives have a social function—they allow speakers to present themselves, connect with others, and share experiences that are meaningful.

• Through narratives, individuals convey their identity, beliefs, and social roles, and storytelling becomes a tool for shaping social relationships.

1. Structural Analysis: Sociolinguistics (Labov)

How does Labov’s structural narrative analysis apply to interviews?

Example: Identify narrative unit (an event, series of events)

“When I was growing up it was tough. We never had nothing really,

you know what I mean? Like even my son, we used to go to school

like nowadays everybody’s got brand new things. But we didn’t have

those things. We used to go with cardboard in our shoes. But the

thing about it is it taught us something. We didn’t know how poor

we were. We didn’t know we were poor. To us it was a normal thing.

Until later after you got older and started seeing things.”

When I was growing up Abstract/orientation PAST it was tough. Evaluation

We never had nothing really, Complicating action you know what I mean? Like even my son; We used to go to school.. Narrative clause

Like nowadays, everybody's got brand new things Narrative clause (complicating action) PRESENT But we didn’t have those things. Evaluation

We used to go with cardboard in our shoes. Narrative clause But the thing about it is, it taught us something. Evaluation

We didn’t know how poor we were. Evaluation We didn't know we were poor. Evaluation To us it was a normal thing. Resolution Until later after you got older Coda and started seeing things. PRESENT

Example: Create STRUCTURAL analysis chart – separate text into sentences, clauses

Narrative Unit 1

Role of listener?

Social function of narrative?

Discourse Analysis (DA) • Begins by examining structure of narrative

• Analyze how components are organized and how they build coherence in the narrative. • For example, look at how the orientation provides context, how the complicating action sets up tension, and how the evaluation

provides insight into the narrator’s social stance or emotional response to the events.

• Examine Linguistic Features and Style • Pronouns (e.g., first-person “I” vs. third-person “he/she”)—how the narrator positions themselves in relation to the story and

audience. • Tense and aspect (e.g., past tense to recount events, present tense for immediacy or reflection)—how tense shifts reflect the

narrator’s focus on what happened versus how they feel now. • Speech acts (e.g., requests, apologies, commands)—how the narrator uses language to perform actions (e.g., apologizing for a

mistake made in the story or requesting sympathy from the listener). • Direct and indirect reported speech—how the narrator uses dialogue or inner thoughts to give depth to their narrative. • Modality (e.g., use of words like "could," "might," "should")—how certainty, possibility, and obligation are conveyed, which can

affect how the audience interprets the events or decisions made in the story.

• Examine Power and Identity Construction • Consider how language constructs power dynamics and social identities. In personal narratives, the speaker may be constructing or

negotiating their social identity (e.g., gender, class, ethnicity, or family role). • Look at how the narrator uses language to position themselves in relation to others. Do they portray themselves as victims, heroes,

or survivors? How do they position other characters in the story? This can help identify how social roles and interpersonal relationships are being defined through language.

Discourse Analysis (DA) • Investigate Discursive Strategies and Ideology

• Framing: How the story is framed can change its meaning. Is the narrative framed as a tragedy, a success story, or a lesson learned? The framing affects how the audience perceives the events.

• Repetition: Is any part of the narrative repeated for emphasis? How does repetition highlight key events or emotional states? • Justification or Rationalization: Look for how the narrator justifies their actions or the actions of others. What kind of arguments are made to present certain behaviors

or events as acceptable or understandable? • Dominant ideologies or cultural narratives: how shape the personal story.

• Look at Emotion and Evaluation • How are emotions expressed (through word choice, intonation, or evaluative language)? • In many personal narratives, the evaluation of an event (often tied to emotions like anger, joy, sadness, or surprise) can be central. Analyze how the narrator uses

evaluative language to convey their emotional response to the events in the narrative and what those responses reveal about their identity, values, and experiences. • Tells us about the narrator’s perspective and the social significance of the events.

• Contextualize the Narrative • Always consider the social, historical, and cultural context in which the narrative is produced. • What are the social norms around storytelling in this setting? Are there power relations at play (e.g., the narrator telling a story in front of an authority figure)? • The context can influence the content, tone, and style of the narrative.

How does discourse analysis apply to interviews?

When I was growing up it was tough. rough PAST, tough childhood We never had nothing really, you know what I mean? Poverty, lack of resources; intersubjectivity Like even my son; We used to go to school.. Familial ties, extension of self; schooling Like nowadays, everybody's got brand new things. But we didn’t have those things. We used to go with cardboard in our shoes.

Return to PRESENT; Difference between what was and what is; Status sign, belonging “we”

But the thing about it is, it taught us something. We didn’t know how poor we were. We didn't know we were poor.

Learning from experiences, making best of situation; Perception of self from others, exposure; reflection

To us it was a normal thing. Until later after you got older and started seeing things.

Perception of self from others, exposure; reflection; Knowledge with age

Example: Create DISCOURSE analysis chart – separate text into sentences, clauses

Narrative Unit 1

Our son is like going into junior high school where you start seeing different kids, more kids

from different areas. And you start seeing what THEY got, and you’re sitting here saying I

would like…and (xxx 0:02:59) guys like me, we grew up wanting those things so we started

taking them. But the thing is now, what you learn…I learned to take, I never gave, because I

never had nothing to begin with. Whatever I can take I can. I can’t afford it, I can’t work.

I was too young, and your parents, they can’t afford it. So you do what you got to do.

Narrative Unit 2

In-Class Assignment: Part 2• Analyze your transcript

• Divide text into narrative units

• For each unit conduct BOTH A and B:

A. Structural Analysis.

• What is the structure of the narrative? Use Labov’s framework: Abstract, Orientation, Complicating Action, Evaluation, Resolution, Coda. Create Structural Analysis

chart

• Additional questions after you complete the analytical chart:

• What is the role of the listener?

• What is the social function of the narrative?

B. Discourse Analysis

• Build off the structural analysis to examine what the text reveals about : 1) the narrator’s identity. How s/he creates meaning? How positions self? 2) society.

Ideologies, norms, power, gender, class, etc.

• Examine: Linguistic Features and Style; Power and Identity Construction; Discursive Strategies and Ideology; Emotion and Evaluation; Context

• Create Discourse Analysis Chart

C. Synthesis

• What did you learn? What themes and/or patterns emerged?