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The course of Donald Winnicott's life stands out with solid clarity in Brett Kahr's ‘biographical portrait’. With respect, but not adulation, Kahr thoroughly delineates Winnicott's complex individuality, and conveys in some depth the atmosphere of psychoanalysis in England from 1913 to 1970. He does not discuss Winnicott's ideas at length, but suitably interweaves them with the fabric of his personal development.
‘The feminine’ in all its ramifications was the predominant motif of Winnicott's childhood. He grew up surrounded by women — mother, sisters, servants, neighbours, and cousins — for whom he was the centre of attention. This especially included his beloved nanny, Allie. Donald had plenty of time and permission to play. During his early years, he wrote poetry, participated in sports and drama, and sang and played the piano. Song, music, and dancing remained important to him throughout his life, and were probably early stimulants to his creativity. Broadly speaking, his environment was secure and consistent.
Winnicott's mother was chronically depressed, and Kahr speculates that as a boy Donald assumed the role of cheering her up. His intense and sensitive connection with her lent a lifelong tone to his personality and relationships. One can understand why, in his writings, he strongly emphasized the mother-child bond and the world of the mother. Winnicott later wrote of children: ‘Their first task is to deal with mother's mood’.
His father was a highly successful Plymouth businessman, active in local politics, who received a knighthood in 1914. According to Kahr, their relationship was quite distant because of his ‘preoccupation with town and business matters’. Winnicott's male identity slowly emerged through play and fantasy, friendships, influential teachers, and from the process of his own analysis. This pattern of self-creation probably made him more deeply aware of the individuality of children, and contributed to his openness and lack of dogmatism.
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