In search of the real: The origins and originality of D. W. Winnicott

Donald Woods Winnicott, the renowned British pediatrician and psychoanalyst, was concerned primarily with the nature of relationships, beginning with that of mother and infant, which he described in great subtlety. Central to his theory was the belief that human beings are in search of a way of experiencing which feels real. The individual is in a constant struggle to distinguish fantasy from fact, external from psychic reality, the world from the dream. Winnicott's notion of the real is an attempt to not be trapped by either solipsistic subjectivity or the claims of objective perception.; This dissertation focuses on the way in which the notion of the "real" is central both to Winnicott's personal life and theory of human development. It argues that Winnicott's theoretical ideas are inextricably interwoven with his character. One cannot easily disentangle Winnicott's creative concepts from the person that he was. It traces how themes in his biography and character show up as aspects of his theory.; This dissertation also examines the origins of Winnicott's originality. It is well known that he was steeped in Western culture. An investigation of some of the origins of his world view illuminates the nature of Winnicott's solitude and connection with his cultural environment. The dissertation looks at diverse precursors whose ideas enriched Winnicott's creative apperceptions. These include certain Romantic poets, Darwin, Lewis Carroll, and John Wesley.; In recent years, Winnicott's view of himself as an extender of Freud's theory has been contested. In particular, it has been argued that he was disingenuous seeing himself as a drive theorist. The dissertation examines how Winnicott internalized Freud and made his theory feel real to him. It demonstrates that Winnicott's theory can be integrated with Freud's theory of development.