Klein's ideas are wild. And this is a great introduction to her account of the wild world of infant life.
She makes Freud's "polymorphously perverse" child look tame, in some ways, since the Kleinian infant is not just desirous. She's straight-up murderous. But not to worry: this isn't Chucky.
"Envy and Gratitude" is kind of like a horror film for a time, but it has an unexpectedly happy ending. So stick with it. And chew on these questions when you get a chance. They'll do your body good.
- What relationship does Klein propose between envy and gratitude?
- Take a look at Question 2 under "Moses and Monotheism." Now try the same exercise, only this time, adapt "Envy and Gratitude" for the silver screen. You'll have to make different kinds of choices here. First, for instance, are you going to turn Klein's essay into a more plot-driven film, or something more like a visual collage? Again, ask yourself how thinking about a movie adaptation changed your relationship to the text.