The symptom as metaphor in Lacan's theory of the unconscious

Abstract

An analysis of Freud's forgetting of the name Signorelli provides a framework for an explication of some central concepts in Lacan's theory of the unconscious. The parapraxis is viewed as a symptom which is structured like a metaphor. The creation of a symptom during the process of repression produces a gap in conscious discourse. The analysis of such symptoms provides evidence for Lacan's assertion that the unconscious is structured like a language.