The Four Fundamentals are not for the faint of heart. In fact, they're barely readable for the most hardcore lit critics among us. But it's worth at least spending some time staring at the pages of this book.
If nothing else, the text will give you a sense of just how opaque Lacan's thinking can be. But you may find that there are lucid moments—on repetition, or the gaze, or the transference, meaning the relationship between patient and analyst—amid the labyrinth of technical terms and elliptical interpretations.
Have fun, we guess? And if you do give this work a go, we think these questions might help light your way.
- Why would Lacan choose to write in such a difficult style? What work does Lacan's language do for the reader (aside from making her super confused)?
- What on earth is the objet petit a, and why does Lacan think it's important? Try giving a definition that's as basic as possible—and then see what's lost in your translation of Lacan's phrase, and what's gained.