A Young Girl's Diary
by Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)
- Free to read
- 6 hours to read
- 6 chapters
- Reading level: 7th grade
"A Young Girl's Diary" by Sigmund Freud, Cedar Paul, and Eden Paul is a translated diary written as a coming-of-age narrative during the early 20th century. This work provides a vivid and intimate glimpse into the psychological development and social dynamics of a young girl navigating her adolescence, exploring themes of friendship, familial relationships, and burgeoning sexuality amid the turbulence of pre-WWI society. The opening of the diary introduces us to the protagonist, a young girl named Rita, as she begins to document her thoughts and experiences at the age of twelve. Through her day-to-day observations, Rita shares her interactions with friends and family, showcasing her longing for social acceptance, the complexities of childhood friendships, and her initial encounters with the themes of love and identity. Notably, the diary is infused with a sense of innocence and curiosity, as Rita grapples with the challenges posed by her relationships, the changes brought on by adolescence, and her playful yet profound reflections on gender roles, societal expectations, and her emerging sense of self. The charm of the narrative lies in its authenticity, drawing readers into the inner world of a young girl at the threshold of adulthood.
- Adolescence
- Teenage girls
- Teenage girls · Austria · Vienna · Diaries
Read the opening
First Year
July 12, 19 . . . Hella and I are writing a diary. We both agreed that when we went to the high school we would write a diary every day. Dora keeps a diary too, but she gets furious if I look at it. I call Helene “Hella,” and she calls me “Rita;” Helene and Grete are so vulgar. Dora has taken to calling herself “Thea,” but I go on calling her “Dora.” She says that little children (she means me and Hella) ought not to keep a diary. She says they will write such a lot of nonsense. No more than in hers and Lizzi’s.
July 13th. Really we were not to begin writing until after the holidays, but since we are both going away, we are beginning now. Then we shall know what we have been doing in the holidays.
The day before yesterday we had an entrance examination, it was very easy, in dictation I made only 1 mistake—writing ihn without h. The mistress said that didn’t matter, I had only made a slip. That is quite true, for I know well enough that ihn has an h in it. We were both dressed in white with rose-coloured ribbons, and everyone believed we were sisters or at least cousins. It would be very nice to have a cousin. But it’s still nicer to have a friend, for we can tell one another everything.
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About this edition
This free edition of A Young Girl's Diary by Sigmund Freud comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #752, released 2006-01-21. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Children & Young Adult Reading, Biographies, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Parenthood & Family Relations.
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