DREAM ANALYSIS
Introduction. Dreams, as well as their significance, is a controversial topic between those
who study dreams. Though there are scientific definitions of these phenomena, two of
the earliest noted dream theorists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, had clashing definitions
of dreams. Either way, there are methods to interpret dreams on a personal level (Dream
Moods).
What are Dreams? Dreams can be viewed in both a scientific and theoretical aspect.
Scientific/physical definition. Dreams are experienced on a daily basis by
everyone, and are also viewed differently by everyone. The book definition of a dream is
“a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep”
(Dictionary.com). Sleep is the key that opens the door to dreams; there is an entire cycle
that the human mind goes through every 90-120 minutes while sleeping complete with
four stages. Stage IV, otherwise known as the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage, is
where most dreams occur (Dream Moods).
Source: EverydayHealth.com. “Sleep-Stages-Sleep Center-Everyday Health.”
http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/101/stages-of-sleep.aspx. (2 May 2010)
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Theoretical definition. Dreams are thought to be the connection of the body,
mind, and spirit in both blunt and symbolic visual aids. To clarify, dreams are
screenplays written by the subconscious based on influences from previously experienced
events and emotions. Should the dreamer hold religious beliefs, dreams can be viewed as
messages from God presented to the dreamer during sleep (Dream Moods).
Major Dream Theorists. Two of the most famous dream theorists had their own views
when dreams were brought into question.
Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), author of the book The
Interpretation of Dreams, held a strong belief in the idea that dreams were the schemes of
the unconscious. He believed that everything happened for a reason, and that dreams
were more variables to the equation. From his viewpoint, the brain was broken up into
three parts; the conscious, a part that contained socially-unacceptable thoughts and
desires, and a part that censored the inappropriate thoughts. His theories state that
dreams are visuals for all of the thoughts considered socially-unacceptable (FREUD).
Carl Jung. Carl Jung (1875-1960) also believed in separate sections of the mind.
His theory, however, was that the two parts of the mind were actually counterparts
working against each other. He stated that the conscious’s counter produced dreams to
present undesired traits or problems facing the dreamer in reality (Naifeh).
Dream interpretation/common dreams. Dreams are considered to be the doorway to the
subconscious; learning how to interpret these dreams may be one of the most beneficial
skills to possess.
Interpretation of dreams. The best way to train the brain to remember dreams to
enable the option of interpretation is to keep a dream journal. The process is simple: (1)
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Keep the mind clear of any unnecessary issues; (2) upon waking, keep the body still and
mentally review what occurred in the dream; (3) write down every detail that can be
remembered, no matter how minute the detail may seem. Recording as many details as
possible may open up the memory to whatever else happened in the dream. Eventually,
more and more aspects of each dream will be remembered until, finally, the entire dream
will automatically be remembered (Dream Moods).
There are countless methods to interpret these spellbinding phenomena, the most
common being dream dictionaries. These useful tools can be found both online and in
the local bookstore. One must be wary of the definitions written about each symbol,
however. Authors of dream dictionaries often hold different beliefs and tend to relate
different objects to different meanings. To find what seems to be the most accurate
interpretation, the dreamer must attempt to relate the explanations of his or her dream to
events taking place in real life, as there is supposed to be a parallel story to each dream.
Also, the internet plays hosts to thousands of websites composed by people who will
interpret dreams if one posts his or her dream on the site. This method is a biased
method, and, again, the dreamer may need to relate the objects of his or her dreams on a
personal level for the dreams to make sense (Dream Moods).
Common Dreams
The lives of people can be connected on a mental state when dreams are the point
of discussion. There are a number of dreams that seem to have been in the subconscious
of the population; these dreams are broken off into the subcategories of reoccurring
dreams, lucid dreams, and nightmares (Dream Moods).
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Reoccurring dreams are dreams that occur multiple times within a monthly period
with little or no notable change in the plot. These dreams are supposed to be messages
that the subconscious has been trying to bring to the dreamer’s attention that have been
ignored. The situation described in the dream may also be a repetitive situation that
needs to be dealt with in the dreamer’s reality (Dream Moods).
Lucid dreams are unique dreams in which the dreamer is able to control what is
happening during the mental screenplay. Unless the mind is trained to allow lucid
dreams to occur, they are very rare. Though say that they are experienced at least two
times by everyone before they die (Dream Moods).
Nightmares are dreams in which the dreamer feels emotionally overwhelmed,
either by extreme fear or depression. They are believed to be messages that the
subconscious is desperately trying to connect with the conscious, which is why the
dreams are so vivid. If one is struck by severe emotion, they are more likely to remember
the event (Dream Moods).
Conclusion. Dreams are debatable phenomena that everybody experiences everyday
without fail. The true meaning of dreams may never be known, as each individual views
a dream though their own mind, evaluating the symbols through a personal interpretation.
Remembering dreams has often been linked to wish fulfillment and achievement, and
also the improvement of personal health. Dreams may also be the secret to higher selfesteem and the answers to situations happening in real life, declaring that dreams are only
there for helpful purposes. No matter the type of dream, be it an enjoyable experience or
a frightful one, the messages in the dream should be paid attention to, as they are
messages being broadcasted to the dreamer for some important reason (Dream Moods).
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Works Cited
Dictionary.com. "Dreams | Define Dreams at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the
Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 04 May 2010.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dreams>.
Dream Moods. "Dream Moods: Dream Information and Resource." An Online Guide To
Dream Interpretation. 2000. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
<http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/>.
"FREUD, SIGMUND (1856-1939)." Young Students Learning Library. 01 Jan. 1996.
eLibrary. Web. 04 May. 2010.
Kittredge, Clare. "Sleep Stages - Sleep Center - Everyday Health." Health Information,
Resources, Tools & News Online - EverydayHealth.com. 2002. Web. 02 May
2010. <http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/101/stages-of-sleep.aspx>.
02 May. 2010.
Naifeh, Sam C. "Carl Gustav Jung, M.D., 1875-1961." American Journal of
Psychiatry 12(2001):1973. eLibrary. Web. 02 May. 2010.