Brittany Humphrey
The Definition of a Dream:
 A goal or want
 a subjective experience of
usually involuntary imaginary
images, sounds, voices, thoughts
or sensations during sleep.
Ancient EgyptiansEarliest attempt at interpreting dreams.
 published a book on their conclusions.
 originally thought dreams were messages from
their gods to warn of disasters or good fortune.
Greek Philosophy-
 also believed dreams were messages from gods,
but could only be interpreted with help of priest.
 dreams helped in medicinal purposes: ailing
people would go to a temple, perform various
religious rituals, sleep then when they had a dream
that assured good health, leave.
 Aristotle-Greek philosopher- put an end to idea
that dreams were from gods. Stated that most
prophetic dreams were coincidences.
Christian Beliefs many years later Christians revived idea
that dreams were supernatural elements.
 God revealed himself in dreams.
 wasn’t long until Martin Luther, founder
of Protestantism, came around and went
against those beliefs.
 Luther claimed dreams were works of the
Devil.
Freud’s views:
 Dreams are a reflection of our deepest desires.
 dreams reveal our unconscious.
 no dream is for entertainment purposes.
Jung’s views:
 dreams remind us of our wishes-enables us to realize
what we yearn for.
 messages to pay attention to dreams for our own benefit.
Other’s views:
 some say having a theory of dreams
is pointless because dreams are just a
fact of life.
 dreams are either clearing or
storing fragments of memory.
 dreams complete lives. They are
very important to living.
Scientific Theory:
Neurological- The brain tries to interpret random impulses
from the pons as a sensory input.
Rapid Eye Movement aka the R.E.M. cycle- most people think
you dream during the R.E.M. cycle, but dreams generate in
different parts of the brain than the R.E.M. cycle.
Other Theories:
Dreams are just a collection of a vivid series of images over which
we have no control.
 Dreams usually last between 15-90min.
 While dreaming you are paralyzed so you don’t act
out the dream.
 Sleep walking and talking in your sleep occur during
deep sleep, not while you’re dreaming.
 You must dream to be mentally and physically
healthy.
 Some people can control their dreams. This is called
Lucid dreaming. The dreamer is fully aware that they
are dreaming.
Lucid dreaming is often practiced for personal or
spiritual gain.
 Lucid dreaming occurs spontaneously, especially
during youth.
Thesis:
Dreams are an everyday
part of life that have been
examined and interpreted for
centuries in an effort to better
understand the human
condition.
Works Cited
Campbell, Joseph.
Myths, Dreams, and Religion.
New York, New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc. 1970.
“The Dreams Foundation”
1995-2004
Google
Online
September 25, 2004
www.dreams.cal
Fonda, Marc.
“Freud, Faerie Tales, and Dream Interpretations:Towards a Practical Hermeneutics of the
Instinctual Disruption of Texts.”
1995
Google
Online
September 25, 2004
www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/fonda/text.html
Hudson, Liam.
Night Life: The Interpretation of Dreams.
New York, New York: St. Martin’s Press, Inc. 1985.
Kelsey, Morton.
Dreams: A Way To Listen To God.
New York, New York: Paulist Press 1978