What is the theme in Childhood and Society by Erik H. Erikson?

Erikson's theory of ego development is contained in his eight stages of man. However, understanding his theory of ego development as a whole helps to illuminate his theory of development. For Freud, the ego is that aspect of the psyche that balances the repressive nature of the superego and the animal passion of the id. But Erikson's conception of the ego is much more active and expansive. First, the ego takes an active role in the construction of identity and extends its reach as the child grows and interacts with the environment.