Chapter 16: Ante-Narrative Spiral Approach To Seam

What is the ante-narrative approach? It is the analysis of identity narrative in the present as a process that integrates past and future. A narrative draws on everything that has happened, the past story, and everything that we place bets on happening, the future ante-narrative. For example, when one asks “why am I standing at this moment in this particular situation” this is a linear narrative that looks to the future. All lived experiences from a story from which identity can be drawn. The reasons particular lived experiences are integrated into a linear narrative are the ante-narrative bets placed at the time. Looking at things from an ante-narrative perspective means looking for bets that are placed on new beginnings, beginnings similar to those experienced before. Ante-narrative is the prenarrative bet, story is everything that has happened, and narrative is a linear beginning–middle–end based on the interaction between these two.