In this part we will look at the directions and zones of handwriting. This will be a more in-depth analysis of the science of graphology. Handwriting moves in both the horizontal and the vertical planes. In the horizontal plane there are three directions: leftwards or backwards, upright or vertical, rightwards or forwards. In the vertical plane there are three zones: the upper, the middle, and the lower.

Letters containing upper lengths, which extend into the upper zone are: b, d, h, k, l, t as well as all capitals. Letters which are limited to the middle zone are a, c, e, m, o, r, s, u, v, w, x. Letters containing lower lengths, which extend into the lower zone, are: g, j, p, q, y, and z. Only the letter f occupies all three zones. As followers of Freud would say, handwriting symbolises the relationship of the ego to its objects (environment). Therefore every rightward impulse of the writer expresses his desire to reach out to the world. The more the handwriting leans forward, the more the person is an extrovert. If the writing approximates to the perpendicular, the less willing is the person to reach out to the world. If the handwriting leans backward, the more the tendency towards introversion.

The forward sloping writer is the extrovert who wants to make an impression on people and things. The backward-sloping writer is the introvert who is concerned with the inner world of thoughts and feelings and visions. The perpendicular writer is neutral with moderate degrees of extroversion and introversion in his make-up. And if a writer oscillates between a forward-sloping and backward-sloping script he is ambivalent in his attitudes to the world and life. Of course, no writing is absolutely sloping in one particular direction. What is important is the overall, predominant slope.

When the writing instrument moves into the upper zone, this is effected by means of the extensor muscles. This is a movement away from the writers body and symbolises a psychological sphere of reflection and meditation, of abstraction and speculation - one that is unaffected by material considerations. But when the writing instrument moves into the lower zone, this is effected by means of the flexor muscles. And this is a movement towards the writers body and symbolises a psychological sphere of primitive instinct and materialism, or irrationality. It should be noted, too, that whereas the flexor movements are accompanied by slight feelings of pleasure, the extensor movements are accompanied by feelings of displeasure.

Between the upper and the lower zones is the middle zone and this symbolises the balance between the required social and the instinctual spheres of personality, the dynamic equilibrium, the practical adjustment demanded of every living organism. These remarks apply equally to extreme leftward-sloping writing, to extreme introversion. Written language recognises this in that the letters of the alphabet permit the writer to express his meaning more clearly by extensions into both the upper and the lower zones. Some detouring into the upper and the lower zones is required if our  communication is to be meaningful. And the danger with extreme rightward-sloping handwriting is that it looks more like a straight line. Extreme extroversion (like the extreme use of the middle zone flattened to the thickness of a tapeworm) would indicate the meaninglessness of the extreme extroverts mind.

Thready writing can be diagnostic of nervous excitability, of low resistance, of indecision or of hysteria. And in Hitler's signature, the letters topple over each other towards the right, attempting to achieve the theoretical straight line of meaningless communication.

Alaphia Zoyab

Analysing script size, slant and width

Top

Copyright 2009, Chennai Interactive Business Services (P) Ltd.

cibs@chennaionline.com
Copyright and Disclaimer, Privacy Policy. Send your suggestions.