“The White Hotel” is a novel by D. M. Thomas that tells the story of a young woman named Lisa Erdman, who is haunted by disturbing dreams and seeks the help of Sigmund Freud to decipher their meaning. The novel explores themes of sexuality, repression, and the unconscious mind, and is structured around Freud’s theory of the Oedipus complex.
As Lisa undergoes psychoanalysis with Freud, the novel interweaves her memories and dreams with historical events, such as the Russian Revolution and the Holocaust. Through her therapy, Lisa begins to uncover the root of her traumatic memories and confronts the dark secrets of her past.
“The White Hotel” is a complex and deeply psychological novel that delves into the human psyche and the unconscious mind, and the ways in which our past experiences can shape and influence our present. It is a thought-provoking and emotionally powerful work that explores the consequences of repression and the transformative power of self-discovery.
Interweaving poetry and case history, fantasy and historical truth-telling, The White Hotel is a modern classic of enduring emotional power that attempts nothing less than to reconcile the notion of individual destiny with that of historical fate.
