Archetype: Dreams

Katie CasperKendra MartzCaroline Biggs

Explanation

“Dreams are often the subject of novels; the key to a character’s deeper promptings; the means by which an author sets a tone or creates a theme underlying his or her fiction, or expresses an intangible poetic concept.” - dreamtree.com

Explanation Cont.

Dreams are placed in books to elaborate more on characters internal feelings, whether they are consicous or unconscious thoughts, or to foreshadow future events. They can be vital to understanding a characters true intentions, and their perspective on a certain situation or another character

Psychological SideSigmund Freud is a known Psychologist who created the Theory of Psychoanalysis. Freud also established the Theory of Dream Analysis.    Freud argued that dreams represent the fulfillment of wishes. The wish is one that is supressed or regressed, and the fulfillment of that wish is often disguised. This can sometimes lead the dreamer to discover an unknown or undiscovered wish of theirs.    

                Psychological Side

Carl Jung was a psychoanalyst who studied under Sigmund Freud. After studying Freuds Theory of Dream Analysis, he created his own dream theory.    Jung believed that "dreams reveal more than they conceal". This means that what a person dreams of doesn't represent hidden desires only know to our unconscious mind, but it is a combination of our conscious and unconscious lives. This process of combining the unconcious and conscious is individuation, which creates a mythical narrative, also known as dreams. 

Literature Side

In literature, dreams are used in foreshadowing and to express a characters inner feelings. Dreams can feature anima, animus, heros and shadow characters, all archetypes we see in stories. These characters are now guides or influences, and we can interpret them to reveal what the character is thinking, and more of an inner self, as opposed to what we see outside of the dream.

Symbolism

Anima- Feminine side of a man. What did it tell you about the feminine side of the character? Was the anima character good or bad? Did they guide you or lead your astray?Animus- Masculine side of a woman. What did it reveal about the masculine side of her? Was the animus character good or bad? Did they guide you or lead your astray?Hero- Represents the quest for understanding. What is the character trying to understand? What did they win? Who were they fighting?Shadow Characters- In dreams this represents the dark side of ourselves. According to Jung, it is "the side of ourselves we do not wish to see." What characteristics did the shadow characters portray? Were they violent? Selfinh? Jealous?

Literature ExamplesThe Odyssey-  Penelope dreams about an eagle killing twenty geese. Penelopes dream could be interpreted that Odysseus is going to come home and kill the maids. This reveals how she views Odysseus as a strong, hero figure, but perhaps somewhat ruthless, while the maids are characters who need protecting and are easily killed.  The Alchemist- Santiago has a repeating dream that tells him to follow his treasure to the Pyramids. When he asks a gypsy to interpret his dream, she says that he should do exactly what the dream says. This dream reveals his desire, and can also forshadow his future journey.  

More Examples from LiteratureShakespeare is interested in the workings of dream and how events occur without explanation. He uses dreams to foreshadow future deaths and mishaps. Dreams are his way to play with the characters not as a writer, but as an embodiment of fate.  A Midsummer Night's Dream- Dreams are linked to the bizarre, magical mishaps in the forest. While they are dreaming, they are influenced to fall in love with characters who they hadn't shown interest in before. Again, dreams play with the characters and makes the plot of the story more interesting. At the end of the play, Puck extends the idea of dreams to the audience members themselves, saying that, if they have been offended by the play, they should remember it as nothing more than a dream.

More Examples from LiteratureRichard III- Dreams are used to forshadow the deaths of characters. Clarence’s dream involves Richard causing his own drowning at sea. Immediately after it, he is drowned in a cask of wine by murderers hired by Richard. In addition, Stanley’s dream involves Hastings being gored by a boar. Immediately after it, Richard orders Hastings’s execution. This shows communication between the future and their own fear. Romeo and Juliet- Mercutio describes the fairy Queen Mab, who rides through the night on her tiny wagon bringing dreams to sleepers. She doesn't bring out the best sides of the dreamers, but instead serves to confirm them in whatever vices they are addicted to—for example, greed, violence, or lust. This shows that dreams are not fragil experiences, but are corruptive. This proves true for Romeo and Juliets as they see their love as real and true and not as a dangerous addiction.

Modern Examples

Here is a clip from a Spongebob Episode, Sleepy Time.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oRTHLZJ7mo&feature=related It reveals the true desires of the Spongebob characters, Patrick with his simples wants in life, while Squidward has more advanced desires, with a strong performing arts career, although in his, Spongebob represents more of a shadow character. Spongebob has his ultimate goal revealed, of acheiving his drivers liscense, while the character of Gary is more refined, to show how intelligent and intellectual he really wishes to be.

More Modern Examples

The majority of you have seen Inception I'm sure, which revolves around how the dream world can affect you in real life.  In the multitude of dream levels the characters capitalized on Robert Fishers relationship with his father, and his true feelings regarding his god father. While the function of dreams within this movie were different than say, a book, they served to elaborate on the characters emotions and thoughts. Another prevelent dream shadow character was Mal. At this point, Dom does not want to love her anymore, because she invades his mind, but Ariadne sees how dangerous she really can be.

More modern examples

Opening sequence of New Moon. In the opening scene, Bella envisions herself aging and an old woman, while her boyfriend, Edward, is eternally 17. This reveals how she is afraid of losing him as she grows older and dies, while he will live forever.  The opening sequence of Kung fu Panda- http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/10/03/kung-fu-panda/It shows how Po really only wants to be a Dragon Warrior, and he resents his position now, because he is only a lowly busser at his dads restaurant.