Dibs in Search of Self

For the following week’s session, Axline borrows a city figurine set and leaves it in the room for Dibs to use if he wants. When Dibs arrives, he immediately notices the set and decides to build a toy town for himself. He sets up a church, a house, and a truck, describing his city as he builds it. Dibs also flies an airplane and sets up some stores, a hospital, and a garage. Next, he moves the mailman all over the city delivering letters, and he imagines a friendly farmer and his family in a house with their animals.

Dibs imagines a boy going into the river filled with alligators and snakes, but another child goes in after the boy and warns him to get into a boat. He says the two boys get into the boat together and become friends. Dibs also sets up a policeman directing traffic and a school. Dibs points out a little girl who will stay at home so she won’t be lonely. Dibs is excited about the city he has built.

Suddenly, Dibs picks up the fire truck; he explains that one of the houses is on fire. The family is caught upstairs, he says, but the fire truck comes and rescues them. When he leaves his therapy session, he has to get his hair cut, and while he used to be afraid of the barber, he isn’t anymore. Dibs concludes, “I guess maybe I am growing up.”

Dibs sets up a few more figures in his city, and he designates one man as his father who is trying to get home. But, Dibs notes, the traffic sign always says stop and his father cannot get home. As Dibs leaves, he is excited about the world he built: “a world full of friendly people.” After Dibs is gone, Axline remarks that Dibs’s world was well-organized and his plan showed high intelligence. Dibs liked the people, though he still expressed resentment toward his parents. He is responsible and aware of his surroundings—he is certainly growing up, Axline thinks.