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In masochists Blumstein notes the frequency of fantasies and acts concerned with preparing oneself to be incorporated, the wish being that of self-destruction
for the purpose of achieving a secure and gratifying union with an omnipotent figure. The consciously expressed component of such fantasies emphasizes preparation, while analysis is required to reveal the unconscious wish for passive incorporation by and identification with the object. This self-preparation to be incorporated is considered a basic motive for masochistic behavior. Analytic data from several patients demonstrate the predominance of oral and respiratory modes in the fantasies, although individual circumstances may contribute genital and other representations through which the incorporation is envisioned. In general, sadism and masochism represent aspects of the wish to eat and to be eaten. The masochistic fantasy of preparation to be incorporated is a defense against earlier sadistic impulses aimed at incorporation of the powerful object, a reversal occasioned by fear of object loss and retaliation. The basic objective of the masochistic defense is to maintain a bond, conceived of in oral terms, with a frustrating, omnipotent figure.