Uncanniness

I agree with Freud that "the uncanny" is a distinct element of the Gothic sensibility because it is a dark and confusing method that is used to creep out the reader. The concept of the uncanny can mean something that seems familiar but is not. This idea works into the Gothic sensibility through showing a darker and more mad side of individuals. The uncanny ideas can be things such as robots that are made to look like humans or buildings that resembles a location one has been in before. This method of using familiar yet unfamiliar ideas ties into the gothic idea of being trapped in the past. Having a person keep being reminded of a bad experience but only in a very slightly different setting can make a person go insane and question their own minds. This questioning of one's self can then lead to a character to start questioning the world around them which is called imagination versus reality. When imagination starts to become reality an individual will most likely go even more insane. This break down of a character's own thoughts and beliefs that leads to eventual madness shows why the method of "the uncanny" is almost exclusive to the Gothic sensibility.