Abstract
With the films About Schmidt and Everybody's Fine as his main point of reference, the author elucidates the complex and often melancholic sojourn that follows ordinary men's retirement from their jobs. As this usually occurs during late middle age, the complicating variable of spousal loss, departure of children from the family home, a failing body, and social marginalization also get added to the picture. The vicissitudes of the resulting intrapsychic and interpersonal upheaval can lead to depressive withdrawal or a renewed effort at finding meaning in life. Ego resilience is tested and sublimation and creativity, if possible, save the day.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
There is a substantial literature on the psychoanalytic study of aging, along with its various milestones, such as retirement, spousal loss, and illness. Erik Erikson (1963, 1980) initiated the field of adult development. His stage of generativity versus despair is relevant to the issues in this paper. For other studies on the psychoanalysis of aging see: Freud (1917), Cath and Miller (1986), Colarusso (2005, 2006), Diamond (2006). For the effects of pathological narcissism in late middle age, see Akhtar (1992) and Kernberg (1985, 2007). For the influence of immigration trauma on generational conflict, see Akhtar (1995). For a summary of adult development with relevant case vignettes, see Wolman and Thompson (1998).
Their edginess plays off the two actors’ signature roles in Taxi Driver and The Shining, respectively.
Everybody's Fine is based on a 1990 Italian film called Stanno Tutti Bene. In that film, the protagonist's children are all named after well-known characters in Italian opera (Wikipedia.com).
An allusion to this trait is made in the name of the insurance company where Warren worked: Woodmen.
Warren, for example, as an actuary would probably label himself “risk averse”.
Out of fear of retirement, many men and increasing numbers of women decide to “die with their boots on”, that is, to keep working until they die on the job or in the line of duty. The indefinite postponement of retirement and the denial of associated changes wrought by aging can lead to disastrous outcomes, as recent news stories have shown. But the timing of retirement is a challenge to all of us.
We may conjecture that both men identify with the fecal and urethral objects of infantile sexuality. Warren's known reputation as a “tightwad” and Frank's mild obsession with “pissing” suggest fixation at this stage.
It is only when comfortable enough with his late wife's image that he can admit that she never failed to overcook the turkey on Thanksgiving.
Among the children, Robert seems to have made the best compromise between his father's unrealistic expectations and his own desires. As a percussionist, he gets to, in his words, “bang the drum all day” and get paid for it.
Although all four children work in the arts, either directly, (musician, painter, dancer), or indirectly (art director for ad firm).
We can view Frank and Warren as standing outside of the multiple unconscious conversations reverberating back and forth in their own minds.
In the unconscious, your unacknowledged place in someone else's history is the same as the blank spot in your own. In psychoanalysis, you must “own” your place in others’ histories and see your own history as if it belonged to someone else.
This feeling may reflect the fantasy that he has murdered all his internal good objects and failed to effectively make reparations for the deeds (Segal, 1988).
References
Akhtar, S. (1992). Broken structures: Severe personality disorders and their treatment. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Akhtar, S. (1995). A third individuation: Immigration, identity, and the psychoanalytic process. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 43, 1051–1084.
Bion, W. (1977). Seven servants. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Cath, S. & Miller, N.E. (1986). The psychoanalysis of the older patient. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 34, 163–177.
Colarusso, C.A. (2005). The evolution of paternal identity in late adulthood. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 53, 51–81.
Colarusso, C.A. (2006). The absence of a future: The effect of past experience and current developmental conflicts on a midlife analysis. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 54, 919–943.
Diamond, M.J. (2006). Masculinity unraveled: The roots of male gender identity and the shifting of male ego ideals throughout life. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 54, 1099–1130.
Erikson, E.H. (1963). Childhood and society. New York: W.W. Norton.
Erikson, E.H. (1980). On the generational cycle: An address. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 61, 213–223.
Evans, D. (1996). An introductory dictionary of Lacanian psychoanalysis. London, UK: Routledge Press.
Freud, S. (1917). Mourning and melancholia. Standard Edition (Vol. 14, pp. 237–258).
Jones, K., (dir./wri.), Nunnari, G. Filed, T. Cecchni Gori, V. & Murray, G. (prod.). (2009). Everybody's fine [Motion picture]. United States: Miramax Films.
Kernberg, O.F. (1985). Borderline condition and pathological narcissism. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Kernberg, O.F. (2007). The almost untreatable narcissistic patient. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 55, 503–549.
Payne, A., (dir.), Besman, M. & Gittes, H. (prod.). (2002). About Schmidt (Motion picture). United States: New Line.
Segal, H. (1988). Introduction to the work of Melanie Klein. London, UK: Karnac Books.
Volkan, V.D. (1984). Complicated mourning. Annual of Psychoanalysis, 12, 323–348.
Wolman, T. & Thompson, T. (1998). Adult and late life development. In A. Stoudemire (Ed.), Human behavior: An introduction for medical students (pp. 340–382). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
1M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Medical College, University of Pennsylvania; Faculty, Philadelphia Psychoanalytic Center.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wolman, T. Psychological Aspects of Retirement: About Schmidt (2002), and Everybody’s Fine (2009). Am J Psychoanal 71, 134–145 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/ajp.2011.5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/ajp.2011.5