According to Erikson's psychoanalytic theory of development, there are certain relationships that help us proceed through life and move through the stages of development. At every stage of his theory there is a struggle, there is a balance that must be found to resolve a crisis. If the crisis is resolved at each stage the individual will find a virtue. A good balance consists mostly of positive outcomes, but a good deal of negatives are needed, otherwise the individual will have too much of a good thing, which Erikson calls maladaptation. (Maianu, 2011). I will apply some stages of this theory to the life of Jo March in the 1994 film “Little Women.” Erikson's third stage of development is the anti-guilt initiative. At this stage the child must begin to find and display responsible behavior (Santrock, 2010). Instead of imitating the actions of others, they begin to initiate their own behavior. If criticized too much, they may feel guilty about everything they do, because constant scolding can make them feel that everything they do will or could be wrong. This makes them too scared to take the first step without receiving specific guidance. However, if too much initiative is gained, the person will not only take the initiative, but will move forward with their plans and not worry about who they step on as long as they achieve their goals (Maianu, 2011). If the right balance is found between initiative and guilt, the individual will find the virtue of purpose. They will be able to feel useful and take the first step towards achieving their goal, without limiting themselves to imitating others. Parents can play a huge role in helping their children find balance at this stage. They can help your child find purpose by giving her a limited…half a sheet of paper…it's a difficult time for her, but she begins to fill the pages with her sister's story and her own. When Jo finishes writing her novel, she symbolically ties the pages together and threads a flower onto the string. This is the moment we can see that Jo has found her true identity. She seems at peace with herself and the work she has created. We later learn that when the professor read his novel he thought it was like reading Jo's heart (Anderson, 1994). Works Cited Armstrong, G. (Editor). (1994). Little Women [movie]. United States: Sony Pictures.Maianu, C. (2011, Spring Semester). Child Development, Psychology 212, [Lecture Notes]. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Area Community College.Santrock, J. W. (2010). Child development: An introduction (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Human Sciences.