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Article published In:
Narrative Inquiry
Vol. 31:2 (2021) ► pp.410–433

Values that stories in self-improvement books promote

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This article examines characteristics of stories in self-improvement books and the values they promote. The analysis of 36 stories from four self-improvement books shows that they are used to illustrate advice. By focusing on grammatical features (e.g., personal pronoun you, interrogative clauses) in the story components (e.g., evaluation, coda), my study shows that these stories promote the idea that individuals, as the primary agent, are responsible for improving their lives (i.e., happier and more fulfilled lives). A study of the coda components also shows that human beings are viewed as having the ability and freedom to choose to improve their status quo. My study shows that stories in self-improvement books are a resource for promoting values.

Keywords: self-improvement books, stories, storytelling genres, values, American dream, equal opportunity, positive thinking, self-reliance
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Self-improvement books
  • Stories
  • Methodology
    • Text analysis
    • Understanding the context
  • Findings and discussion
    • Purpose of stories in self-improvement books
    • Functions of story components
      • Abstract (20/36)
      • Orientation (36/36)
      • Incidents (36/36)
      • Interpretation (36/36)
      • Coda (31/36)
    • Values that the stories promote
      • Self-reliance and self-perseverance
      • Individual freedom and equal opportunity
      • Maximising innate ability
      • The power of positive thinking
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 19 March 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.19067.koa
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