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The objective of this dissertation is to explore the writer, Isak Dinesen, and her individuation process at midlife from a Jungian perspective. Ms. Dinesen's life had been marked by tragedy and loss: her father committed suicide after he was diagnosed with syphilis, just before her tenth birthday; she was infected with syphilis by her husband; she lost her coffee farm in Kenya; and her lover, Denys Finch Hatton, died in a plane crash. Destitute, Dinesen was finally forced to return to Denmark. Although Ms. Dinesen did not undergo psychoanalysis, her unflinching memoir and allegorical writings functioned as a chronicle, tool, antidote, and restorative. While a great deal of psychological literature has been written on resiliency and coping mechanisms, there is a dearth of psychological research on the process of reinvention that people, particularly women, with chronic illness or disability must take place in order to successfully complete the passage necessary to live in a world that is either indifferently malignant or openly hostile towards them. Dinesen managed to re-invent herself in a time when women did not own land, manage companies, move to Africa, or write essays and stories for publication. She created a coherent story about her pain and disability, along with other losses, which gave meaning to her suffering, helping integrate the disparate parts of her psyche into a whole, fulfilled being. Since knowledge of many women's suicides has eclipsed familiarity with their creative work, I wanted to tell a story of a woman who survived, and persevered, continuing to write until the end of her life, with great courage and elan in the face of pain and adversity. I kept in mind Jung's perspective, identifying her archetypal unconscious, identifying, accepting, integrating both her shadow as well as the male aspects of the self. The aim of this study was not to confirm or disconfirm any specific theory, rather, its value was heuristic, that is, to contribute to the research of women's lives by providing a forum for one woman's life story. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by addressing your request to ProQuest, 789 E. Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346. Telephone 1-800-521-3042; e-mail: [email protected]