Dreams, the Unconscious, and the Self: Freud and Kafka

Introduction: Individualism and Introspection in the 19th–20th Century

In 19th–20th century Western societies, the prevailing philosophical orientation centered on the concept of the Self. This concept was shaped by the individualist culture predominant in Western thought, and individualism through introspection became a defining theme in the discourses and literary works of the period.

Among the revolutionary thinkers who helped develop and define 20th-century philosophy were Sigmund Freud and Franz Kafka — a psychologist and a literary writer, respectively. Both were influential in advancing the theme of individualism through introspection: Freud through the method of psychoanalysis, and Kafka through his engagement with existentialist themes.

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian physician and the founder of psychoanalysis — a branch of psychology holding that unlearned biological instincts and early experiences shape how people think, feel, and behave. Psychoanalysis emerged as a method for diagnosing psychological illnesses (mental and emotional) through investigation of the patient's childhood. Freud focused primarily on the early relationship between the patient and his or her parents, believing that an individual's early environment shapes and influences their personality as they grow. Psychoanalysis therefore places emphasis on the unconscious mind, on the conflict between biological instincts and society's demands, and on early family experiences.

Freud, Kafka, and the Theme of Confronting the Unconscious

Franz Kafka, also Austrian, drew on existentialism as the primary framework for his literary works. Kafka is known for his use of symbolism to illustrate the theme of confronting the unconscious and discovering the "real Self." Influenced by the great Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, Kafka created a literature centered on individual existence, freedom, and choice — characteristics of the individualist and introspective spirit of the 20th century.

Both Freud's and Kafka's works reflect a common theme vital to understanding the human psyche: confronting the unconscious in order to discover the individual's real Self. This theme is most fully developed in Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams and Kafka's The Metamorphosis. In both works, dreams serve as an essential medium through which the individual comes to know the truth about their existence and their Self.

Freud's Theory of Dreams and the Divided Self

The concept of the Self as it appears in both works is distinguished from what may be called the "impersonal one." Separating the "impersonal one" from the Self means that an individual must let go of all repressions and come to know themselves not through society's definitions, but through their own actions, behavior, and thinking. The tension between the Self and the "impersonal one" is central to understanding the themes both authors develop — particularly when the role of dreaming is taken into account.

Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams (1899) engages closely with the theme of the Self and the "impersonal one." Drawing on his clinical experience diagnosing patients with psychological problems, Freud argues that dreaming, or the "dream experience," "appears as something alien interpolated between two divisions of our life which otherwise fit into each other perfectly and continuously" (p. 12). This passage illustrates how dreams function as mirrors or reflections of the other part of the whole individual. By referring to "two divisions" within the human psyche, Freud posits that the individual is composed of two parts: the Self and the "impersonal one," also identified as the unconscious and the conscious, respectively.

Going beyond a historical account of human consciousness, Freud also theorized — through his review of existing literature — that "in the dream-life only a fragment of our physical activity finds expression" (p. 64). This describes the existence of the other half of the Conscious Self: the Unconscious, or the "real Self."

Freud elaborates on the individual's internal division and the conflict with the Unconscious Self, noting that people tend to be far more aware of their conscious selves. He writes: "The Unconscious must… be assumed to be the general basis of the life of the psyche… The unconscious is the true reality of the psyche, its inner nature just as unknown to us as the reality of the external world…" (p. 405). By describing the unconscious as external in character even while residing within the individual, Freud illustrates how the dream experience becomes the site at which the Unconscious is confronted. Through dreams, the individual bridges the gap and resolves the conflict between the Conscious and the Unconscious selves. After the analysis of a dream experience, people become more "in touch" with themselves — with the true nature of the Self, rather than the "impersonal one." This interpretive framework is central to Freud's foundational work on dream analysis.

Conclusion: Dreams as the Path to the Real Self

The dream represents two important changes in Gregor Samsa's life: his metamorphosis forces him to deal directly with the Self, undergoing self-realization by the end of the story; and the expression of the real Gregor, symbolized by the insect, marks the emergence of his freedom after years of dependence on his family and society for approval — the source and standard by which he had measured success and happiness.