A Young Girl’s Diary

Freud writes in his preface: ’...a gem. Never before, I believe, has anything been written enabling us to see so clearly into the soul of a young girl’(first published 1915) PrefaceTHE best preface to this journal written by a young girl belonging to the upper middle class is a letter by Sigmund Freud dated April 27, 1915, a letter wherein the distinguished Viennese psychologist testifies to the permanent value of the document: ＂This diary is a gem. Never before, I believe, has anything been written enabling us to see so clearly into the soul of a young girl, belonging to our social and cultural stratum, during the years of puberal development. We are shown how the sentiments pass from the simple egoism of childhood to attain maturity how the relationships to parents and other members of the family first shape themselves, and how they gradually become more serious and more intimate how friendships are formed and broken.We are shown the dawn of love, feeling out towards its first objects. Above all, we are shown how the mystery of the sexual life first presses itself vaguely on the attention, and then takes entire possession of the growing intelligence, so that the child suffers under the load of secret knowledge but gradually becomes enabled to shoulder the burden. The only alterations she has made have been such as were essential to conceal the identity of the writer and of other persons mentioned in the document. Consequently, surnames, Christian names, and names of places, have been changed. These modifications have enabled the original author of the diary to allow me to place it at the free disposal of serious readers. No attempt has been made to correct trifling faults in grammar and other inelegancies of style. For the most part, these must not be regarded as the expression of a child’s incapacity for the control of language. Rather must they be looked upon as manifestations of affective trends, as errors in functioning brought about by the influence of the Unconscious. About the AuthorSigmund Freud (1856-1939) is one of the twentieth century’s greatest minds and the founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychology. His many works include The Ego and the Id An Outline of Psycho-Analysis Inhibitions Symptoms and Anxiety New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis Civilization and Its Discontent, and others.This early work by Sigmund Freud was originally published in 1921 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography.