The T walking down the steps is the active, fairly adventurous person Bernard sees himself as; the man following—a fnend—is a man Bernard knows who has sexual difficulties, and represents Bernard’s own sexual hesitations; the psychiatrist is Bernard’s therapeutic skill used in his own life, the male client is Bernard’s difficult feelings when dealing with groups of peo- pie—the public—which he is trying to expose’ or get to know and transform.
Generally, a man depicts an aspect of self—even in a woman’s dream—depending on the activity and character of the man in the dream. Any indication whatsoever in the dream gives a clue to what aspect of self. In the example, the character of the friend, the role of the psychiatrist and the feelings of the client indicate which aspects of Bernard s character are being dealt with. Therefore a man trying to rape a woman would be her fears about sex; a homosexual would depict those feelings; a businessman, one’s work or business abilities; a loving man, one’s feelings about love, and so on.
Older man: father or one’s accumulated experience and wisdom; perhaps even wisdom from the unconscious if man is white haired or holy. Wild, ape, half animal man: urges which have not yet been integrated and socialised, usually pertaining to sexuality in today’s social attitudes or natural social feelings at odds with present attitudes.
Man in woman’s dream: in general, a woman’s ability to question conventional behaviour and social habits; her strength to look with insight into her own life and change it thereby—but not her feeling values, emotions and intuitions, her creative or business ability in the world, and power to be competitive and challenging, her defence against just knowing’ out of the power of her emotions and inbuilt prejudices. Man she knows or loves: feelings, worries about relationship. Dreaming the man is looking at other women or leaving is usually fears about same. Two men: might be a triangle.
Idioms: man to man; be a man; front man; hit man; make a man of; odd man out; right hand man.
See family; woman; and other entries pertaining to particular roles or age.