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Devils, Serpents, Zebras: Metaphors of Illness in Contemporary Swedish Literature on Eating Disorders

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Author

Editor

  • Peter L Twohig
  • Vera Kalitzkus

Summary, in English

The present paper explores the metaphors of illness in Swedish narratives on eating disorders, published between 1987 and 2005. The authors use the metaphors of powerful beings such as serpents or devils to name their illness, and these metaphors can be analysed as being part of the master metaphors of battle, territory and intruders. This paper discusses the metaphors used to envision the flesh and the self, as well as three important “intruders”: compulsive starvation, food, and the urge to eat.

Publishing year

2008

Language

English

Pages

95-111

Publication/Series

Social Studies of Health, Illness and Disease. Perspectives from the Social Sciences and Humanities

Volume

49

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Rodopi

Topic

  • Languages and Literature

Keywords

  • Metaphors of illness
  • eating disorders
  • anorexia
  • Swedish literature.
  • bulimia

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 978-90-420-2405-2