an Named Dave brings to light his inability to truly trust anyone, especially women.Eriksons second stage, Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt (18 months to three years), posits that the accomplishment of tasks imbues children with confidence and self-esteem. The conflict or crisis of this stage is the struggle to do for oneself. I believe it was during this stage of life that the cycle of abuse began for Dave Pelzer. Throughout all three books in this series, his lack of faith in his own abilities is a continuous thread that ties it all together. This belies the fact that he had, indeed, been able to outsmart his mother at her own games on many occasions. If not for the brilliant coping strategies he constructed as a child, he would not have survived. Stage three is labeled Initiative versus Guilt. Between the ages of three to six years, children are naturally inclined to explore, initiate relationships and experience the world around them. Pursuing these things requires initiative, and serves as the conflict resolution for this stage. In Daves situation, he was consistently punished and terrorized for showing initiative. The end result of this treatment, according to Erikson, should be feelings of guilt for even wanting to do so many things. As a response to this guilt, the child may become very passive, opting to be a follower, not a leader. Im not sure Daves response is a good fit with what this stage of the theory suggests. Yes, he remains burdened with guilt to this day. But I would not call Dave a follower. When the Air Force turned him down, he showed the initiative to do what was necessary to be accepted, even though it took years.Eriksons fourth stage is Industry versus Inferiority. This stage encompasses the timeframe of the most severe period of abuse in Daves life: six to twelve years of age. The importance of play, academic achievement and productivity in this stage can not be over emphasized. The mastery of these activities r...
