Susan Watkins -- Dreams

(Topic of Choice #3)

Are dreams myths? It's an interesting question, because Lewis describes myth as bridging the gap between abstract thought and experience... something that reveals truth about reality to we, who can never directly experience objective reality. Thus, all kinds of art forms fall into the category of myth. But what about dreams?

To the best of my understanding, most psychologists figure that dreams are the results of our mind processing subconscious thoughts into semi-coherent images and sensations. Though dreams themselves often have non-sensical or impossible plots and events, they ususally do succeed in communcating a feeling or impression to the dreamer. They also usually contain objects and symbols recognizable to the dreamer's mind-- everyday representations of things like furniture, nature, food, and even people. Even in a dream, these things have specific meanings attached to them based on our daily experiences, though they may or may not tak on other meanings while within the dream sequence.

So do these strings of symbols and impressions constitute myth? I think Lewis would say that plot is essential to myth, and if a dream lacks coherent plot then it cannot be a true myth in full-- though it may display several aspects of it. However, I think that those dreams that we have which do have coherent storylines abiding by some kind of order could rightly be called myth. To be certain, in my experience dreams have revealed truth to me that I had never grasped when waking-- about relationships, situations, even my own feelings about something. If this isn't myth, then what is? Perhaps they lack the structure of artistic myth, but I think the essence in both is the same.