Dwelling on dreams
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." ~ J.K. Rowling
Dreams fascinate me. I often have very unusual dreams, a curious mixture of reality and imagination, and many of my best ideas come to my in my sleep. I'm far from alone in this, with the ideas for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jane Eyre, and Frankenstein all stemming from dreams.
So in celebration of the wonderful weirdness of dreams, here are some of the best dreams from literature:
1.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling (2007)
In the final book of this magical series, Harry, Hermione, and Ron face the seemingly impossible task of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes and, ultimately, Voldemort himself.
Rowling uses dreams to great effect throughout the series but this is my favourite, largely because of this quotation:
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
2.
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (1865)
Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She falls for a long time, and finds herself in a long hallway full of doors...
The majority of this wonderful creation is in fact Alice's dream, which is why it definitely deserves a mention. There are so many incredible lines in this novel it was difficult to choose just one, but this is one of my favourites:
"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
3.
1984, George Orwell (1949)
Set in the dystopian future of 1984, Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He works in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and distorting history. To escape Big Brother's tyranny, at least inside his own mind, Winston begins a diary — an act punishable by death.
Winston's acts of rebellion begin in his dreams in this fabulous dystopian classic.
"We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness."
4.
The "In death" series by J.D. Robb
This series, set in a mid 21st-century New York, focus on Lt. Eve Dallas, of the Homicide Department of the NYPSD, and her millionare, ex-criminal husband, Roarke.
Dreams play a significant role in this series, which I must admit to being a huge fan of, helping Eve to confront her dark past and to solve the murders she tackles in the present day.
"She slept, but even there, dreams chased her."
5.
Paradise Lost, John Milton (1667)
Milton's epic poem tells the story of the fall of man, including the origins of Satan.
From one fictional Eve to another, the beautiful and thought-provoking epic Paradise Lost is another book which explores the dreamworld and its links to reality.
"A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n."
What are some of your favourite dreams from literature?
Dreams fascinate me. I often have very unusual dreams, a curious mixture of reality and imagination, and many of my best ideas come to my in my sleep. I'm far from alone in this, with the ideas for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jane Eyre, and Frankenstein all stemming from dreams.
So in celebration of the wonderful weirdness of dreams, here are some of the best dreams from literature:
1.

In the final book of this magical series, Harry, Hermione, and Ron face the seemingly impossible task of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes and, ultimately, Voldemort himself.
Rowling uses dreams to great effect throughout the series but this is my favourite, largely because of this quotation:
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
2.

Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She falls for a long time, and finds herself in a long hallway full of doors...
The majority of this wonderful creation is in fact Alice's dream, which is why it definitely deserves a mention. There are so many incredible lines in this novel it was difficult to choose just one, but this is one of my favourites:
"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
3.

Set in the dystopian future of 1984, Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He works in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and distorting history. To escape Big Brother's tyranny, at least inside his own mind, Winston begins a diary — an act punishable by death.
Winston's acts of rebellion begin in his dreams in this fabulous dystopian classic.
"We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness."
4.

This series, set in a mid 21st-century New York, focus on Lt. Eve Dallas, of the Homicide Department of the NYPSD, and her millionare, ex-criminal husband, Roarke.
Dreams play a significant role in this series, which I must admit to being a huge fan of, helping Eve to confront her dark past and to solve the murders she tackles in the present day.
"She slept, but even there, dreams chased her."
5.

Milton's epic poem tells the story of the fall of man, including the origins of Satan.
From one fictional Eve to another, the beautiful and thought-provoking epic Paradise Lost is another book which explores the dreamworld and its links to reality.
"A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n."
What are some of your favourite dreams from literature?
Published on October 17, 2016 12:45
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