The Uncanny

Freud” The Uncanny”
In the story “Sand-man” written by Hoffman, a little boy is told that if he does not go to sleep the sand-man will come and take his eyes out. Several nights he observes his father and an eerie man doing experiments. One night the visitor sees him and his father has to come to his rescue or the visitor will remove the boy’s eyes. Several evenings latter the father is found dead, killed by an explosion. When he is older he buys a spy-glass and observes a silent and motionless young woman named Olympia and falls in love with her. He one days see her eyes being removed (she is really a doll or robot) and goes insane. After he recovers he is about to marry and then see the very same man who has removed Olympia’s eyes and goes once again insane and jumps to his death.
For Freud, being robbed of your eyes or some type of a frightening event from your childhood will lead you back to what is known and familiar. Freud feels that the fear of losing one’s sign is often a substitute for the dread of being castrated