`He's a Liar,I'm Afraid': Truth and Lies in a Narrative Account

Abstract

An account of a young person undertaking a vocational preparation course is given. This young person was described as a fantasist by his foster mother, and the staff who ran the vocational course came to a similar view. These various narratives are examined to show how the categorisation of fantasist was created and maintained. The case study shows how the young person used fantasy to achieve particular ends. There is a power relation existing between the contrasting narratives and the categorization fantasist belongs to a sanctioned and powerful discourse. Thus `my research' as well as this article and the other narratives it discusses should be subject to a similar analysis as that attached to this case study itself.