Animals as Lifechangers and Lifesavers

Abstract

This paper examines personal narratives in which homeless and formerly homeless people construct their companion animals as having changed or saved their lives. The analysis considers selfhood a narrative accomplishment, the strategic outcome rather than the source of the stories people tell. These particular stories employ the theme of redemption, in which tellers describe overcoming adversity to face a better future, with animals playing key roles. The analysis reveals the narrative elements through which animals become vehicles for redemption. As dependent others, animals encourage a sense of responsibility. As the providers of unconditional love, they reward the fulfillment of responsibility. And as silent witnesses, they keep the tellers from lapsing into risky behavior. Narratives that describe animals in these ways allow for the construction of a positive moral identity. They also indicate that commitment belongs among the recognized languages of redemption and highlight the social embeddedness of autobiographical experience.

Keeping Lily Safe: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Human–Animal Attachment during Adversity

“…Additionally, since there is a dearth of research on human-animal relationships during adversity, this article answers in part the call of Zilcha-Mano et al (2012) and others for a scholarly examination of people's relationships with companion animals during 'difficult life situations' (p. 9). My account, similar to the redemption narratives of homeless people elaborated upon in Irvine's (2013) research, shows the ways in which people construct and revise their sense of self by telling stories that describe their relationships with animal companions.…”

Street-Involved Youth and Their Animal Companions—Stigma and Survival

“…In this manner, the animal's innocence and dependence served to not only develop the homeless person's sense of responsibility, but also through this commitment and caring for the pet they also positively change their behaviours (such as addictions) and allow them to experience unconditional love without judgement, atonement and salvation (Irvine 2013a).…”

Animal Autobiography; Or, Narration beyond the Human

“…By contrast, Savvides [22], in her account of canine autobiographies used to promote the welfare of street or "soi" dogs in Bangkok, Thailand, finds in those animal autobiographies a more thoroughgoing hybridity. Drawing on Franklin's sociological studies of human-canine relationships vis-à-vis domestic living arrangements ( [23]; see also [24,25]), Savvides describes such accounts as a product of identifications that, result in ontological as well as generic hybridization. She argues that the canine autobiographies in question "allow their human readers to understand...soi dogs as not-unlike-humans, or, perhaps, to understand that humans are not-unlike-soi dogs" ( [22], p. 241).…”