In Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams early topography the mind is divided into the conscious, the preconscious and the unconscious. The contents of the unconscious are prevented from entering the conscious mind by a 'censor' whose function is to preserve the conscious mind from disturbance. The only ways we can know about the unconscious is through the symbols and visual images which are presented in dreams, or through becoming aware of unconscious motives underlying conscious acts (see, for example, Parapraxes). The contents of the preconscious, however, are linked to word-presentations and can be summoned back into consciousness by various acts of will.<…
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Preconscious". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 October 2005 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1611, accessed 23 November 2024.]
