Sigmund Freud's The 'Uncanny'

Freud begins by addressing the common definitions of 'uncanny' in several languages. He follows this by explaining how it holds a complete opposite definition in the German language and in its translation, Heimlich.

To follow Freud examines the work of E.T.A. Hoffman's "The Sand-Man." The story chronicles the tragic and somewhat bizarre tale of a boy who witnesses the demise of his father at the hands of the Sand-Man. Freud examines this piece of literature to explain how the author deploys a writing technique that pushes the reader in to accepting or embracing the vision of the main character; whether he be sane or not. In the story, the main character also falls madly in love with a lifeless doll, Olympia.

While reading Freud's work I was reading close and trying to examine how it pertains to the class overall, and first noticed an appearance of just such a moment in the lines, "a doll which
appears to be alive . . . particularly favourable condition for awakening uncanny feelings is created when there is intellectual uncertainty whether an object is alive or not, and when an inanimate object becomes too much like an animate one."

Sounds familiar, no? Freud explains how there is generally no fear in the reanimation or animation of lifeless objects. He does, however, place a level of fear when one creates or views their "double." A creation of the ego. Freud goes on to explain why many experiences in our youth can be contributed to the creation of our fears or opinions of the uncanny when older, and this (I believe) is what Freud is trying to explain. That the creation of what we perceive as uncanny is founded in the choices and experiences of our youth.

Freud explains how with reason and logic that it is easy to understand why such thoughts of resurrection or other such fictional ideas can enter our thoughts. However, he explains that even though scientific evidence fails to support these uncanny ideas that regardless of their improbability, if coincidence arises it will still provoke thought of the possible (and yet unexplainable).

Overall it seems Freud is attempting to explain how it is difficult or possibly impossible to rid one's self of the overwhelming urge to fall prey to the uncanny ideas that are the result of our psychological development as children. That there could be something else in the darkness; that we can wield almighty power; or that the unexplained is merely the yet to be solved.

Welcome to English 253: Science Fiction (The Figure of the Zombie in Film and Literature)

This blog will be an archive of sorts of the thoughts and musings of a course at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Each week, several students in the course will comment, critique, and question our readings and viewings from the course material. Hopefully, these posts will spark a lively discussion and facilitate some good thinking on a broad range of cultural texts.

If you are a visitor to the blog, and not a member of the class, feel free to follow along this semester (and beyond) as we dig through the fecund/fetid soil of zombie & zombie-related texts. If you'd like a copy of the course schedule, please feel free to contact me (joel) and I'll send one along (or I'll eventually figure out how to put a link to one here somewhere)...

Have a good semester & let's exercise those brains (thus making them tough and stringy and much less delectable to our unfortunate brethren).