Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the construction of a world of subjective meaning for Mr. A, who experienced depression in middle age. As a methodological tool, I use the theory of relevance advanced by Alfred Schutz. This paper first examines how Schutz' theory explains how, in social constructivist terms, "subjective reality turns into objective reality," and clarifies the temporal status of internal time consciousness. The paper then examines Schutz' construct of different sets of interests, or relevances: topical, interpretive, and motivational.In conversations between Mr. A and the author over four years, Mr. A's "narrative" changed. According to the theory of relevance, major changes of subject are seen in the evolution of Mr. A's statements from "I cannot go to work," "I am labeled as someone who cannot succeed in work," and "I feel tense at work" to such statements as "I want to break free from this vicious circle." By examining such statements the theory of relevance is able to clarify the meaning in epoche how Mr. A perceives the problems that he faces and how he attempts to deal with them. The author shows how Schutz' concept of relevance, as an intersubjective category, is able to reduce the distance between the actor and the observer. Using the concept of relevance, the author shows that an interviewer or hearer will come to an interpretive understanding of a speaker producing meaning compositions, by way of contrapuntal analysis, while, as if an accompanist, the hearer stands close to the speaker.
