"The Uncanny" (essay)

"The Uncanny," an essay by Sigmund Freud, explores the strange feeling we experience when something familiar unexpectedly turns eerie or unsettling. Freud suggests that this sensation arises when familiar things evoke buried fears or repressed memories, creating a blend of comfort and discomfort. For example, a childhood toy that suddenly seems haunted or a doppelgänger can evoke this uncanny feeling. Freud's analysis highlights how the uncanny reveals the complex ways our subconscious influences perceptions, making us uneasy even with things we think we know well.