Endings, secrets, and silences: Overreading in narrative inquiry

Some of the tools of the literary overreader are applied to two research interviews, particularly as they direct readers to attend to inconsistencies, endings, repetitions, and silence.

Abstract

Qualitative researchers seek to understand the words of the people they interview and may use narrative inquiry to find meaning in the stories told by research participants. Narrative inquiry entails "overreading," a sensitivity to unspoken or indirect statement, which is central to interpretation. Some of the tools of the literary overreader are applied to two research interviews, particularly as they direct readers to attend to inconsistencies, endings, repetitions, and silence. Because overreading is also intrusive, we conclude with some considerations about how far the overreader of the research may legitimately go.