An instance of emotional absence of a father traumatized by war-clinical material and musical illustration

Abstract

In his minor essay from 1914, Some Reflections on Schoolboy Psychology, Freud placed immense significance upon the father-son relationship as enabling or inhibiting the individual quest towards a mature, separate, and healthy development. In this essay, I will explore Freud's observations to illuminate the journey taken by Assaff1, a 34-year old man who, during the early stages of his adolescence, had a father who was emotionally absent due a traumatic experience during his military service in the Israeli Defense Forces. Through transference work, the impact of the emotional absence will be shown. I will demonstrate how the boy was able unconsciously to use the music of Tommy, a rock opera by the British band The Who, as a transitional object. I will show how that piece of music provided Assaff with the sense of hope that helped during the darker times of his adolescent.