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Initiative vs. Guilt
Jordan is going into kindergarten where there are many new things to learn. He has questions about everything, but feels he will be a bother if he asks them. When he asks too many questions at home he gets in trouble. His teacher questions why he is so quiet when she see's the curiousity in his eyes but he doesn't want to get in trouble so he says nothing. Jordan's teacher is aware he is feeling guilty but pushes him to take initiative so that later down the road he can be an independent thinker -
Identity vs. Role Confusion
Jordan is now 16. Throughout his childhood and adolescence he has been a quiet child, following the friends he did have in whatever they thought were "good ideas". He is in a relationship with a girl who controls everything he does and he obliges. This is an unhealthy relationship and he is not aware of its toxicity because of how he was raised to not ask questions and only do as he was told. He sees that other relationships are not like this one but does not know who he is or how to change. -
Intimacy vs Isolation
Jordan is 23. He is slowly finding his voice, yet in this stage he feels stuck. Since his break-up in high school, Jordan has been alone and has not let another girl into his heart. In his mind, he did everything right in the relationship just like he did when he was a child; in order to not get "in trouble" he obeyed commands and didn't ask questions. She still broke up with him. Jordan now fears commitment due to this break in intimacy and trust. He is falling into a depression because of it.