The perspective of Childhood and Society is that of its author, Erik Erikson. Erikson was born in 1902 and grew up to be a dance instructor. While a dance instructor, Erikson befriended Anna Freud, the daughter of Sigmund Freud, and then subjected himself to psychoanalysis. Having been so intrigued by psychoanalysis, Erikson then decided to become a psychoanalyst himself.