heiress; at least this expression seems to be thus derived. The idea, however, is used quite promiscuously, now for persons and now for property. Again we have the same uncertainty. Instead of "affirm" patient prefers to use here "include" and on one occasion she condenses the two words into "festschliessen" (firmly include). The characteristic uncertainty exists also in her use of moods and tenses. Patient says, for example, "since 1886 I was riding horseback, etc."; she knows, however, quite well that this is not the case. On another occasion she says, "since 1886 I should have been riding horseback, but I adhered to driving." It makes no difference to her whether she expresses a subjunctive instead of a present or imperfect. She speaks as if in a dream. As is known, Freud[1] has pointed out this peculiarity in dreams. This clearly coincides with her other dream-like, partially condensed and disconnected manner of speech.
"Universal" is another symbol of her wealth which she not only acquired herself, but also inherited. In this we also get a glimpse of her family whom, as we shall see later, she includes in her wish-dream.
12. Hero: I am a hero of the pen—pride—patience—heroic act—a hero of the pen, by the content of which, what one writes—the highest intelligence—the highest gifts of character—the highest perseverance—highest noblesse—the highest that the world shows—includes in itself—letters business letters and letters of credit.
"Hero of the pen" is really a ludicrous expression which, however, the patient takes in earnest. Perhaps due to her deficient education, probably, however, because the comical has lost all its feeling, as is generally the case in dementia præcox. Furthermore this deficiency is also characteristic in the dream. "Hero" is another symbolic expression for "highest intelligence," etc. Her concluding remarks explain how much "hero of the pen" she is. The patient does not write anything except a letter on rare occasions. Her fancies, however, seem to be in favor of writing more letters, and especially "business letters and letters of credit," another requisite of her acquisition complex. Here it is also interesting to see how she expresses this distant thought symbolically by "hero."
- ↑ Die Traumdeutung, 1900.
