The Rorschachs of eight firesetting boys are examined. They tend to fall into two groups: borderline psychotic and impulsive neurotic character disorders. For the former, the setting of fires seems to represent the projection of inner tensions as well as the attempted introjection of the vitality of the fire to fill inner emptiness. For the latter, it is more clearly associated with sexual conflicts and seems to be the sudden breakdown of compulsive and repressive defenses allowing for acting out.