I’m at my desk in the basement of an old brick house on campus reading through transcripts of interviews with older adults. I focus on the text and ignore the Jacob Marley hiss and banging of heated air moving through the ancient pipes in the building. My work is listening for changes and stability in close relationships; for noting challenges and grit in caregiving dynamics; and for understanding vulnerabilities and resiliency among those who have experienced a lifetime of trauma. When I’m analyzing this interview data from an older person I get a glimpse into their inner world. In creative writing, this inner world is known as interiority.
Interiority speaks to the inner life of “the self” or of a character—their thoughts, motivations, and psychological processes. In Western thought, at least for the last several hundred years, the notion of the self permeates every aspect of our life. And whether I’m reading interviews, or narrating my own experience in creative non-fiction, or creating a fictive character, it is the interiority that gives depth and substance to help us make meaning from stories. For example, in the opening scene of my short story, “Of A Certain Age”, Peg worries about what to wear to church because she has a crush on a newcomer, Jamey. As she’s getting dressed, Peg briefly reflects on her disappointing experiences with dating after widowhood, on the changes her body has experienced post-menopause, and on her decision to make a bold move with Jamey. By sharing her reflections, I wanted to show that Peg is a forthright person who acts decisively.
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