Character Analysis

As Freud interprets his Dream of Uncle Josef (4.1.10-11), he realizes that not only have his Uncle Josef and his friend "R." been brought together in the dream, but also that the dream is referring to another of his colleagues—a man he identifies as "N."

Like "R.," "N." is represented poorly in the dream. In fact, he comes off as a criminal and a nasty fellow, just like Uncle Josef himself. As Freud explains, the dream depicts "N." in such poor light in order to make Freud look good by comparison (4.1.16). Like "R." and Freud himself, "N." was a Jewish man who had been nominated for a professorship; and, like "R.," the nomination had never turned into an actual appointment.

As Freud says, "[i]f the appointment of my friends R. and N. had been postponed for 'denominational' reasons" (translation: because they were Jewish), "my own appointment was also open to doubt; if, however, I could attribute the rejection of my two friends to other reasons, which did not apply to me, my hopes would remain untouched" (4.1.16).