The Sleeper and the Spindle & the Uncanny

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So, I think Neil Gaiman is a genius -- and also a deeply disturbed individual -- and here's why.

I just finished reading one of Neil Gaiman's newest books The Sleeper and the Spindle. I make it my business to pay attention to everything Neil Gaiman writes, however, if you haven't heard of this book, suffice it to say that it is a really, really twisted version of the Sleeping Beauty story. The premise of the story is that, about seventy years ago, a princess was cursed by a witch, causing her to sleep forever. The sleeping curse, which had previously been contained to the princess' castle, suddenly begins to spread throughout the world, causing many thousands of people to fall asleep and not to wake. A young queen -- who remains nameless -- sets out to wake the princess and lift the curse. I won't go into the details because I don't want to spoil the story, however, the conclusion of the story is basically the opposite of the Sleeping Beauty story in every way.

My first reaction to the book is that it is beautiful, mysterious, and disturbing -- as are most of Gaiman's books. My second reaction to the book is that the illustrations were beautiful. Neil Gaiman has the unique ability to take rather innocuous themes (like fairy tales and children's stories) and turn them into horrifying and macabre books. (Also, kudos to Gaiman for creating yet another picture book for adults).

The Sleeper and the Spindle made me realize however that Gaiman's real secret is in the use of the uncanny. The uncanny -- or the  unheimlich -- is a concept first defined by Freud. In simple terms, the uncanny is the return of something that has been repressed. The uncanny often refers to an object that is familiar but has been made to be something unfamiliar. For example, the uncanny functions in The Sleeper and the Spindle by making sleep uncanny. Sleep is familiar and comfortable for most people, however Gaiman makes sleep unfamiliar by comparing it to death -- eternal sleep, thus making sleep objectionable and frightening. The uncanny is disturbing because it takes away an individual's ability to rationalize within their world; it makes their world frightening and dark.

If you've read other books by Neil Gaiman, you know that he uses this technique a lot. Coraline is another excellent example. Coraline, as I've written before, takes the familiar figure of the mother and transforms it into a monstrous creature.

However, what makes Neil Gaiman (and The Sleeper and the Spindle) truly unmatched is his capacity for artistry. As far as I'm aware, Gaiman is the only author currently writing who makes disturbing things poetic and beautiful. That being said, you should read and enjoy this book, just be prepared for a chill down your spine.

Just readin'

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