The Kernel Story: a New Conversational Genre?

In a recent study of storytelling in women's rap groups, Susan Kalcik isolates a type of narrative which she calls the kernel story. Kalcik defines the kernel story as one in which the narrator tells the most important part of the story, namely its kernel, first instead of leading up to it ( 1 9 7 5 ) . In this paper I shall present a personal experience story which seems to fit this definition. Particular attention will be paid to the kernel of this story, its role in forming an aesthetically pleasing narrative, and its function in a conversational context. On the basis of these observations I shall briefly discuss the validity of calling the kernel story a separate genre. The narrative in question was performed during an informal gathering of graduate students at the home of a faculty member in March 1983. We spent almost an hour chatting as we waited for everyone to arrive before dinner was served. I had brought my tape recorder in hopes of recording a riddling session. My attempts to induce riddling from the group were only partially successful, but I was able to record a lengthy period of general conversation enriched with narrative performances. The following story was told by the senior faculty member who was our hostess.