November, 1933: Artist and Woman

In November, 1933, Anais Nin meets Dr. Otto Rank, a Freudian analyst. What distinguishes him from Dr. Rene Allendy is that he emphasizes the differences rather than the similarities of people. He gives special attention to the artist and has in fact written a book entitled Art and Artist. Rank does not believe in spending too much time studying the past and what caused the problems but instead focuses on examining the current symptoms and seeking resolutions that offer immediate relief, a sort of emotional shock treatment. He says the difference between the neurotic and the artist is that the neurotic is a failed artist, a situation where creativity and imagination went wrong; cured neurotics are artists.

It is also in this November, 1933, entry of the Diary that Anais Nin lays groundwork for what becomes a lifelong mission: "And what I have to say is really distinct from the artist and art. It is the woman who has to speak. And it is not only the woman Anais who has to speak, but I who have to speak for many women. As I discover myself, I feel I am merely one of many, a symbol."