www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/09/23/bad-dreams-3
Two months ago, we discussed the potential pitfalls of including dreams in your stories.This month we have a story, ‘Bad Dreams’ by Tessa Hadley, which demonstrates an innovative use of a dream sequence that really works.It’s not a cop out, it’s a passage that genuinely adds an additional layer of meaning to the story. As always, you will get the most out of this masterclass if you read the story for yourself (www. newyorker.com/magazine/2013/09/23/bad-dreams-3), and if you enjoy this story, you might enjoy the other stories in Tessa Hadley’s collection, also entitled Bad Dreams.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Tessa Hadley explains that the story is based on an experience from her childhood when she had a similar dream to the child in the story. So, it is based on a real event, albeit an experience that was a dream and therefore not actually real. Are you with me so far?
Whilst examining this story we will discuss the
