Roald Dahl: A psychosexual developmental trajectory study illustrated within psychobiography

Abstract

This study applies analytical psychobiography, particularly Freud's psychoanalytic apporoach, to the study of the psychosexual development of Roald Dahl (1916–1990), a renowned children's author, gentleman spy, connoisseur, and philanthropist of his time. Data sources for the analysis included primary and secondary sources, and only publically available and published materials on his life. Alexander's (1988, 1990) psychobiographical guidelines for saliency were used to identify and extract significant biographical themes and units for analysis. The evidence suggests Dahl to present with aggressive, indulgent and neurotic personality traits. He also used sublimation as coping mechanism to express his anxiety and emotional pain through sport and writing. In conclusion, Dahl's psychosexual development generally conformed to the developmental trajectory and stages identified by Freud.