REMINISCENCE

Reminiscence

Abstract

In this study we try to explore the concept of Reminiscence in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on Reminiscence and two articles related to it. The research also analyzes many aspects of Reminiscence and tries to gauge its effect on the people's lives in the articles.

Freeman, Erika P. (2011). Reminiscences of a Good man. Psychoanalytic Review, Vol. 98 Issue 2, p253-259, 7p; DOI: 10.1521/prev.2011.98.2.253; (AN 60369210)

Theodor Reik was a protégé of Sigmund Freud and one of the founding brothers of psychoanalysis, along with Carl Jung, Alfed Adler, et al., the founding father of psychoanalysis being Freud. Unlike the others, Reik never broke with Freud. Theodor Reik wrote 28 books by himself, and one with the author, Erika. A mutual friend invited the author to the usual after-party, where he fell into a long conversation with Dr. Reik, the things he said were so interesting, and while not all of of them deserved a whole book, the author thought those thoughts and observations should be preserved. The next day Erika decided that there really ought to be some way in which one could preserve the feeling, the ambiance, and the back and forth kind of Ping-Pong of talking to such a man. Back to how it all started: When the author telephoned he said, “You want to write an article?” Erika said, “I don't know, I thought maybe more like a book. When can I come?” He said, “How about in an hour?” The first long talk that Dr. Reik and he had was a rather spirited one.

When he arrived at his office, he looked around the room, he pointed to the wall behind his desk, which was covered with pictures of Freud, and he said, “You see all those pictures of Freud? There are fifty of them. Some are from the Congresses, some from The Hague, and so on. He was my friend and teacher, and he was like a father to me.” The personality and value systems of the men who create a new movement influences to a great degree the direction and service of that movement: the quality of their humanity determines greatly the kind of people who are drawn to that movement, and their respect for humanity and its rights determines the ensuing climate of that profession, even as George Washington's character forever made indelible the respect for the values of the United States. They talked about a number of things, and then he asked, “Well, what are you doing?” I replied, “I'm studying to be an analyst. You know how it is, if you're going to be an analyst, you might as well come from Vienna.” Dr. Reik was extremely modest, yet he used to complain to Erika that he was too modest. He said, “Don't be like me, I don't push myself.” Dr. Reik was totally empathetic to people. They talked about the serendipity of events as usually being a good ...