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Anne's early schooling: Industry vs. Inferiority
At age 11 Anne is adopted. With her new parents and teacher at her new school encouraging and supporting her, she excels at school, develops a love for learning, and becomes confident in her abilities. In Erikson’s 4th stage, Industry vs. Inferiority, the crisis is to either develop a confidence in one’s ability to learn and a desire to learn, or to develop a sense of inferiority in which one does not have the confidence in their ability to learn what is needed. -
Anne Return’s Home: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
After experiencing life as a schoolteacher in a new city and learning lessons about herself, Anne (age 22) decides that her true identity lies in her small hometown and chooses to return there instead of continuing to search for a new life in the city. In Erikson’s 5th stage, the crisis is to either develop a clear idea of who is most important to you, what you want to be, and what you value or to remain unsure of your place in life and not know who you are or want to be. -
Anne’s Marriage: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Anne (age 25) and Gilbert are married. They choose to commit themselves to each other and allow their separate identities to meld and create a new future together. In Erikson’s 6th stage Intimacy vs. Isolation, the crisis is to either demonstrate vulnerability in allowing your identity to be affected by another person and establishing an intimate, long-term relationship or to fail to demonstrate this vulnerability and become isolated with no stable, committed relationship.