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Some more speculations on Anna O.

Some more speculations on Anna O. The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, Vol. 5 I, No. 2, 1991 Susan Kavaler-Adler She sat in a rocking chair, by her father's sick bed, looking at the win- dow, and looking away from thoughts that she could never think. While confined to her dying father's room, she began to cough nervously, as she heard echoes of dancing and parties in the streets outside. Suddenly, her two arms changed into the shape of black wriggling snakes. Then her hair, her head, her fingers--all turned into snakes. The sheer terror drove her into frantic prayers--praying to a paternal god in English, so that her earthly father would not hear or understand her words. From that night on she would never speak German, until Dr. Breuer came to hear her prayers through the daily tales she told him. The conundrum of Anna O. will be with us forever. There simply is not enough factual information to make conclusions. Yet the innuendos she arouses are multiple. The dark incestual themes haunt us, and the psychic splitting plagues us with divergent diagnostic thoughts. When Breuer saw Anna O. she appeared severed into two halves. She played out the false self roles of a good http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The American Journal of Psychoanalysis Springer Journals

Some more speculations on Anna O.

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis , Volume 51 (2): 11 – Jun 1, 1991

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References (39)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
1991 Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis
ISSN
0002-9548
eISSN
1573-6741
DOI
10.1007/BF01252172
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, Vol. 5 I, No. 2, 1991 Susan Kavaler-Adler She sat in a rocking chair, by her father's sick bed, looking at the win- dow, and looking away from thoughts that she could never think. While confined to her dying father's room, she began to cough nervously, as she heard echoes of dancing and parties in the streets outside. Suddenly, her two arms changed into the shape of black wriggling snakes. Then her hair, her head, her fingers--all turned into snakes. The sheer terror drove her into frantic prayers--praying to a paternal god in English, so that her earthly father would not hear or understand her words. From that night on she would never speak German, until Dr. Breuer came to hear her prayers through the daily tales she told him. The conundrum of Anna O. will be with us forever. There simply is not enough factual information to make conclusions. Yet the innuendos she arouses are multiple. The dark incestual themes haunt us, and the psychic splitting plagues us with divergent diagnostic thoughts. When Breuer saw Anna O. she appeared severed into two halves. She played out the false self roles of a good

Journal

The American Journal of PsychoanalysisSpringer Journals

Published: Jun 1, 1991

Keywords: Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapy; Psychoanalysis

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