12016-12-06T17:59:14-08:00Elizabeth Withers4c83cfe2d791828249eb6cc21e5e14580fecf72e130082plain2016-12-14T14:48:43-08:00Elizabeth Withers4c83cfe2d791828249eb6cc21e5e14580fecf72eHomer is having an anxiety dream over a represseddesire to get rid of Bart. In the episode, Marge replaces Homer with Bart as her tennis partner, and Homer becomes jealous. The tennis rackets hanging in the hall in his dream are a part of the daily residue that has triggered Homer's dream. He experiences guilt over his anger at Bart, and this manifests as a death wish Homer feels towards himself. This is displayed in Bart's having killed Homer. These repressed feelings are further distorted by Bart being displaced, in a sense, as a less recognizable version of himself. Further distortion is evident in Bart's line about shooting Homer at the guillotine factory. The cutting off of a body part can be interpreted as a symbol of castration, and this is repressed at the last minute, when Bart says that he shot Homer instead. Homer is mounted on the wall like an animal, a further symbol of shame, as his animal nature (a desire to kill Bart, his rival) is exposed. conclusions