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Divided into three parts, this book studies the theme of symbolisation in psychoanalysis, its importance, and its evolution since Sigmund Freud. It then delves into the processes of subjectivation based on non-symbolisations, emptiness, and the development of the capacity for thought, within the most recent theoretical formulations. The author concludes the book by addressing adolescence as a momentum princeps for symbolic reorganisation, provided that the entire narcissistic dimension inherent to this period is taken into account.
In the first part, Levy provides a thorough overview of the topic of symbols, symbolisation, and the development of the capacity for thought. Beginning with the Freudian mental apparatus and the concept of representation, the author explores concepts such as the mnemic trace, symbols, thing-representation, and word-representation to show how the theme has been a part of psychoanalytic studies from the very beginning. When describing different approaches to symbols, the author distinguishes between the symbol as seen by Freud, characterised by its narrow sense, supra-individual, collective, and constant meaning, and Meltzer's interpretation, which emphasises a highly individual, personal, and idiosyncratic meaning. Nevertheless, by employing associative chains, the author demonstrates that the dynamic view was already present in the earliest stages of psychoanalysis.
For the reader, it is interesting to follow the description of symbolisation in Freud, Klein, and Bion, accomplished with clarity and detail. Levy’s explanation of the alpha screen, for instance, shows a complex concept in a simple manner, without omitting any essential details. By aligning this concept with the beta screen, Levy enables an understanding not only of the difference between the two but also how one transforms into the other. This entire explanation culminates in his assertion that a mother feeds her baby with both milk and “thoughts”, by putting the alpha function