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Franky Morello is born into a dysfunctional family. His parents do not know how to raise a baby, so he is put into a children's shelter. In Erikson's first stage, babies learn to either trust or mistrust others depending on how much affection and care they receive. Trust leads to optimism, while mistrust leads to pessimism. -
Fifth grade is starting. Franky's classmates seem to know themselves well. Since Franky grew up in an orphanage with a lack of resources, he starts to question his origin and what he is good at. In Erikson's fifth stage, adolescents begin to understand where they belong in society. In this stage, talents and hobbies are discovered and a sense of belonging begins. -
Franky is 46 years old. He is a single father living with his 7-year-old daughter. The past still haunts him, so he works extra hard at work in order to support his daughter's college fund. This is Erikson's seventh stage, which is generativity versus stagnation. Midlife adults can choose to be generous to the next generation, or they can choose to focus on themselves.