Everyone Is a Tomato: Metagnostic Narratives of Genetic Revelation

This essay explores the narrative characteristics of genetic revelations as instances of "metagnosis." Contrasting the scientific narrative of increasing knowledge with a series of different stories-including fictional tales-demonstrates the complexity of receiving information that changes one's conception of self, whatever the nature of the revelation. Such narrative awareness can help to communalize such experiences, reducing feelings of isolation and bewilderment.