Using Freud's discovery of dream interpretation in the Irma dream and the dream of the biological monograph, and certain similarities in the creative life of Strindberg, Kaplan explores the role of narcissistic injury and the cycles of creative and noncreative periods in people's lives. Freud, allegedly wounded by Otto's reproachful tone, set out to "justify himself" by writing a long case report on his patient. That night he had the famous dream and analyzed its narcissistically restorative content, thereby creatively discovering dream analysis. The biological monograph dream was Freud's attempt to undo his hurtful self-reproach for not pursuing his work on cocaine and getting credit for its discovery. Strindberg's first play was written after a severe narcissistic injury produced a crisis-state. Using Kohut's ideas of the cycles of productivity, these examples illustrate narcissistic injury and turmoil followed by frantic creativity, then quiet work in which the initial creativity is sorted through and ordered.