Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

With Bertie, four years old, for instance, itseemed for a time as if he were really goingcrazy. He would suddenly interrupt whateverhe was doing, run to the other end of the room,look aimlessly into the corners and returnquietly as if nothing had happened. He woulddistort his face in the most horrible manner.He was restless and excitable, quick to pickquarrels and very worried about his ownhealth; he would not go out without warmclothes even in the summer heat, and so on.showed in time that this was his way of relatinghow his mother had behaved after hisfather was killed and before she went insane.She had aimlessly searched for the father, hadexpressed her grief in an unrestrained manner,had been excitable and quarrelsome andvery worried about the health of the boy. Inthe end it had been Bertie's falling ill withscarlet fever which had completed her breakdown.Bertie, in his behaviour combined theexpression of her emotion, her attitude towardthe people around, her attitude to himself andpossibly even some imitation of his father whois said to have been specially protective andaffectionate towards his family. Curiouslyenough, these reactions reached their highestpoint at the time of the anniversary of thefather's death.Another child, a boy of five, has a very de-7 1It