The Gerontologist, Vol 34, Issue 6 822-827, Copyright © 1994 by The Gerontological Society of America

REVIEWS

Taking next steps: gerontological education, research, and the literary imagination

M Holstein
Institute for Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555.

This article interprets two literary works--both about old women who have suffered strokes and are near death--and argues that literature can make essential contributions to gerontological research and education by developing sensitivity to theory, empathic understanding, and self-awareness. This article examines these fictional accounts against two theoretical perspectives--the political economy of aging and theories of personal meaning--and encourages epistemological experimentation.