Books Quote by Howard Kerr
““Psychic change, as Todorov has recognized, subverted the genre in another way, by revoking the cultural taboos, the social censorship, that had prohibited the overt treatment of psychosexual themes, which then found covert expression in the supernatural tale. 'There is no need today to resort to the devil [or to posthumous reverie] in order to speak of excessive sexual desire, and none to resort to vampires in order to designate the attraction exerted by corpses: psychoanalysis, and the literature which is directly or indirectly inspired by it, deal with these matters in undisguised terms. The themes of fantastic literature have become, literally, the very themes of the psychological investigations of the last fifty years.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Literary Theory and Psychoanalysis, 1990s
The quote argues that modern literature no longer hides sexual desire behind supernatural symbols; instead, psychoanalytic influence allows direct treatment of psychosexual themes, merging fantasy with psychology.
In simple terms: Modern stories openly discuss sexuality thanks to psychoanalysis.
Key Takeaway
Embrace honest exploration of desire in art.
Themes
psychology
fantasy
sexuality
culture
taboos
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
interpretive
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- film scripts
- academic courses
- therapy sessions
Key Concepts
psychoanalysis
literary criticism
censorship
Questions to Reflect On
- How does removing supernatural masks affect reader perception?
- What risks arise when taboo topics are presented plainly?
A Different Perspective
Some audiences may still resist explicit content, limiting acceptance.
