Illness As Narrative Strategy: An Account of Illness Narratives and Popular Fiction

Illness Narrative is a genre where a patient or people related to the patient narrate their story of illness.This paper explores the theme of illness in Popular Fiction, whose sole purpose is entertainment.Illness narrative in popular fiction focuses not just on illness as a theme but also on the tale that is narrated.The novels taken as representatives of the study are chosen for their popularity and impact on the readers.These novels, when closely read, reveal how narrative strategy is used in the process of healing.The paper also establishes how writing functions as a therapy for readers through analyzing and juxtaposing the novels A Walk to Remember, The Fault in our Stars, and, P.S.I Love You.It highlights the uniqueness of their approach in their portrayal of illness and the process of healing.