Flirting with re-enchantment: anima and objet a

This paper draws comparisons between Jung's concept of anima and Lacan's concept of objet petit a,using four headings: the empty signifier, desire, trace, bridge, psychosis, therapy.It is argued that all archetypal images can be characterised as version of objet a. The concept of objet a, with its focus on the unattainable provides a corrective to tendencies to be overly concrete when thinking of anima images.Objet a anima are both sites of anxiety and pathology. Both concepts are attempt to bridge the gap between biology and psychology.