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In the two phases of development already discussed2 we were able to recognize archaic types of character-formation. They represent in the life of the individual recapitulations of primitive states which the human race has passed through at certain stages of its development. Here, as in general in biology, we find the rule holding good that the individual repeats in an abbreviated form the history of his ancestors. Accordingly, in normal circumstances the individual will traverse those early stages of character-formation in a relatively short space of time. In this chapter I shall give in very rough outline an idea of the way in which the character of men and women in its definitive form is built up on those early foundations.
According to the traditional view, character is defined as the direction habitually taken by a person's voluntary impulses. It is not part of the intention of this paper to spend much time in finding an exact definition of character. We shall, however, find it advisable not to be too much influenced by the 'habit' of attributing great importance to the direction usually taken by these impulses of the will. For our previous discussions have already made it clear that character is a changeable thing. We shall therefore do better not to make their duration and permanence an essential criterion of character-traits. It will be sufficient for our purposes to say that we consider the character of a person to be the sum of his instinctive reactions towards his social environment.
We have already seen that in early life the child reacts to the external world purely on the basis of its instincts. It is only by degrees that it overcomes to some extent its egoistic impulses and its narcissism and takes the step towards object-love. And, as we know, attainment of this stage of development coincides with another important event,