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The concept of an ego-figure is put forward by the author gracefully and in a way which is convincing. He begins by stating the sources from which he has derived the necessary material for the development of his central theme. This is from Freud's work, but more particularly from the developments and expansions of that work which are associated with the name of Melanie Klein. In particular the phenomena of introjection and projection, of projective identification, together with splitting and fragmentation of internal and external objects, are essential concepts in the synthesis of the ego-figure. This development can take place only when the paranoid-schizoid position has been successfully passed and the depressive position negotiated. By these means the good objects inside the self, representing the good internalized breast and later the whole mother, are able to exist without excessive idealization. When there is excessive idealization, of course, there must also be the tendency to demonification. Ideally there develops an intra-psychic balance of forces leading to a tolerance of diversity within the self and, of course, outside the self. Thus there is neither excessive yielding to greed nor to any of the other instinctual impulses, nor is there an excessive clamping down upon the impulse life leading to asceticism. The kind of individual the author has in mind is one in whom psycho-analysis has been successful.
Turning to Greek culture, he attempts to explain the 'Greek Miracle', which is the fact that in a society in the fifth century B.C. such ego-values as tolerance of individuality and diversity, and such esteem of Truth, Beauty, and Justice should have existed. The explanation can be found by means of an understanding of Kleinian theory which makes it comprehensible that human dignity should be based upon the development of an integrative balance or mean in which pleasure is accepted and enjoyed but not to excess, and in which the harsh realities of