Metanarrative of the "New Father" and Narratives of Young Finnish First-Time Fathers

Abstract

The metanarrative of the "new father" has become well-established in both the public and academic discourses on families. This study analyzes the narratives and storylines about fatherhood told by young Finnish first-time fathers, and examines the interrelationship between these narratives and the metanarrative of the "new father." Three different narratives were identified—the modern, the transition and the postmodern narratives of fathering. Although constructed differently, all three narratives engaged with the metanarrative of the new father by reflecting on it and by drawing a distinction between their perceptions of fatherhood and the narratives of the past. In conclusion, the idea of the "new father" is firmly embedded in the metanarrative of fatherhood identified in the present Finnish context.