The Uncanny (2000 work by David Foster Wallace)

"The Uncanny" by David Foster Wallace is a thought-provoking essay exploring how things can evoke both familiarity and eeriness simultaneously. He examines the concept of the uncanny—what feels oddly strange yet recognizable—in art, literature, and everyday life. Wallace discusses how this sensation reveals deeper human anxieties, our uneasy awareness of the boundary between the familiar and the unfamiliar. Ultimately, the essay prompts reflection on how the uncanny shapes our perception of reality, highlighting our fascination and discomfort with the mysterious aspects of existence that hover just beyond ordinary understanding.