The Importance of Symbol-Formation in the Development of the Ego

My argument in this paper is based on the assumption that there is an early stage of mental development at which sadism becomes active at all the various sources of libidinal pleasure. In my experience sadism reaches its zenith in this phase, which is ushered in by the oral-sadistic desire to devour the mother’s breast (or the mother herself) and passes away with the earlier anal stage. At the period of which I am speaking, the subject’s dominant aim is to possess himself of the contents of the mother’s body and to destroy her by means of every weapon which sadism can command. At the same time this phase forms the introduction to the Oedipus conflict. The genital is beginning to exercise an influence, but this is as yet not evident, for the pregenital impulses hold the field. My whole argument depends on the fact that the Oedipus conflict begins at a period when sadism predominates.