ABSTRACT

This chapter examines primitive anxieties and defenses seen in the life and work of Samuel Beckett, in particular in his play, Endgame. It also examines the primitive mental states in relation to certain of Frances Tustin's ideas about being and not-being, and the sense of falling and dissolution of the personality, as well as to the ideas of Wilfred Bion, with whom Beckett had treatment. Tustin's idea of the autistic shell as a defense against feelings of non-existence is reflected in the sense of nothingness permeating Beckett's work, the apocalyptic world of Endgame and the futile search for meaning in Waiting for Godot. The struggle in Endgame between states of mental life and death are central to analytic work with patients. In each session, the analyst must make the subtle distinction between these forces that either facilitate or obstruct the patient's emotional contact, both with the analyst and with himself.