The Use of Dreams in Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper presents a detailed discussion on several works of literature and the use of the theme of dreams in them. The six works compared, contrasted and analyzed in this paper are: John Keats, " Ode to a Nightingale; "Langston Hughes, "A Dream Deferred;" Samuel Taylor Coleridge's, "Kubla Khan;" Thomas Findley's " Pilgrims; " Bierce Ambrose's " An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge;" and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's " Kubla Khan or, a Vision In a Dream: A Fragment." The writer discusses how each author uses the theme of dreams in their particular piece and then draws comparisons between the other author's works. The paper examines the proper use of dreams in any literary work. Using passages from each of these works, the paper shows how dream themes are used most successfully when dealing with death as a tool to explain the situation leading up to and immediately following the occurrence. The use of dreams often fills in many unanswered questions that may be plaguing the reader as they read a story or poem.

From the Paper:

"Throughout literary history there have been themes used to underscore a point to the reader. Often times the same theme can mean different things to different authors, and it is played out in different scenarios in their works. The theme of dreams has been a popular theme for literature in the past, especially in short stories and poems. There are six separate works by six different authors, which have used the dream theme to carry out various tasks. Sometimes it is used to allow after death thoughts, other times it is about goals and future desires, but any time a dream theme is used in these six works the author drives home the point of heart filled emotion leading the story."

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