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Living With Death: The Narrative Turn in Being Mortal From the Perspective of Medicine Humanities



Author(s)

ZHOU Linyu, WANG Fan

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2177/2024.12.007

Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China

As the field of medical humanities continues to evolve, the concept of “narrative medicine” has gathered increasing public attention for its role in improving patient care through narrative-based approaches. Narrative medicine emphasizes the importance of understanding patients’ stories to effectively implement humanistic care in clinical practice. Being Mortal, written by the renowned surgeon Atul Gawande, is a significant and representative work in the field of narrative medicine. Since its publication, it has attracted widespread attention, and sparked considerable reflection among domestic readers on the ethical and humanistic aspects of medical care. This paper draws on Rita Charon’s Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness to analyze the theoretical framework and practical applications of narrative medicine in Being Mortal. Furthermore, the paper explores how narrative medicine provides a new vision for medical humanities by fostering more effective communication between doctors and patients. The findings suggest that integrating narrative medicine into clinical practice can help address critical issues, including doctor-patient conflicts and the lack of personalized care, ultimately leading to a more compassionate and patient-centered healthcare system. Moreover, narrative medicine holds great potential for advancing the field of medical humanities and improving the overall quality of healthcare.

doctor-patient communication, medical humanities, narrative turn, Being Mortal