SH+P5+2014+Robert+Louis+Stevenson’s+essay+“A+Chapter+on+Dreams”

Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” Research done by Kyla Jennings

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Aim: The aim of Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” was to demonstrate how he came about writing his stories. In the beginning he goes about calling the writer “the dreamer” and later we find out that he is infact the dreamer. As he writes this he explains how he came up with ideas for all of his stories. These ideas came from his dreams, hence why he called himself the dreamer. Whenever he was asleep he would dream, these dreams were not usual dreams either, they were very vivid and had made him feel as if he was living a double life.

“ When he lay down to prepare himself for sleep, he no longer sought amusement, but printable and profitable tales; and after he had dozed off in his box–seat, his little people continued their evolutions with the same mercantile designs” (Stevenson). He then went on to say that he had the “little people” help him turn his dreams into stories that had a beginning, middle, and end. The “little people” were basically the writers for all of the stories. Of course he was the one who had come up with the ideas but they had put all of the pieces of the dreams together. They had worked on the stories during and after he had slept, they were the ones who put the most work into creating the stories. He had done a fantastic job at providing this evidence in this writing.

Works Cited: Stevenson, Robert Louis. ““A Chapter on Dreams”.” Selected Essays by Robert Louis Stevenson. Lit2Go Edition. 1892. Web. August 3, 2014.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” Research done by Cade Powell

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Audience: Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” from a modern point of view is quite fascinating to explore as it is intellectually stimulating in nature. The question though is who is the audience of which the essay is directed towards. In my opinion the essay is directed towards a more broad group that is very generalized. Robert Stevenson's writing pertains to many people alike because we all dream as the text described whether it be vivid or not. The ideas of dreams and dreaming has come upon every individual which results in such an open audience. Stevenson make the assumption of people knowing what the feelings that come with dreams which only makes his writing ultimately have a stronger impact. The audience when reading can relate to the writing of Stevenson from their own personal experiences which creates a stronger expression on the reader. In the end the writing is well displayed to capture the audience attention with ideas the reader can relate to and to persuade them to agree with Stevenson.

Works Cited: Stevenson, Robert Louis. ““A Chapter on Dreams”.” Selected Essays by Robert Louis Stevenson. Lit2Go Edition. 1892. Web. August 3, 2014.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” Research done by Kayla Long

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Historical: The audience personal experiences can affect how they perceive the authors words. “But suspense and fear drummed in the dreamer's bosom. "She has not denounced me yet"—so his thoughts ran—"when will she denounce me? Will it be to–morrow?”(Stevenson 1). The authors past was coming back to haunt him and creating self doubt. The author talks a lot of suffering in the text. It is commonly believed that in order to fully enjoy the good one must experience suffering so one can understand both emotions and the contrast between the two in order to fully appreciate the good. It would be easy to say that historical events didn’t affect his writing because the writing was about his dreams, however his state of mind and the need to retreat into his dreams was related to the current state of the country and the area he lived in. The depression drastically affected how everyone purchased things, saved and lived. Many lost everything and the gap between the wealthy and poor became greater than it had ever been. He experienced both the poor and wealthy side of the financial spectrum at one point in the story. History won’t be made from the text but it is obvious that the past affected him and will continue to affect his writing in the future. As people grow and experience life they also grow and learn. The plan for everyone should be to learn from your mistakes, never to repeat and then hopefully pass your knowledge onto others so they do not repeat the same mistakes of others. With every dream, every person could be, “brought down to the same faint residuum as a last night's dream, to some incontinuous images, and an echo in the chambers of the brain”(Stevenson 1). They could be too focused on the past, in a state of dreamland.

Works Cited: Stevenson, Robert Louis. ““A Chapter on Dreams”.” Selected Essays by Robert Louis Stevenson. Lit2Go Edition. 1892. Web. August 3, 2014.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s essay “A Chapter on Dreams” Research done by Kayla Long

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Cultural: Actions experienced by individuals can have long reaching consequences. Reflections on past decisions shape future decisions and that has an ongoing circular affect. In the story the sentence that states: “There is no distinction on the face of our experiences; one is vivid indeed, and one dull, and one pleasant, and another agonising to remember”(Stevenson 1), illustrates that our dreams and experience, be they real or imagined shape ones lives in both drastic and subtle ways. The full understanding of when or why decisions are made may never be fully understood or explainable, but they are what was important in that moment. Life is meant to be lived and experienced and learned from, not just watched passively. Persuasion is important in writing because it requires a wider understanding of the topic being discussed. Because of varying cultural differences a good writer must be able to tell the story in such a way that it has significance to everyone who reads it no matter their position in life. A poor person will interpret stories differently than a wealthy person, especially if the story describes or speaks to needs over wants. Ethical dilemmas within society when written about in text can be applied to real life situations. His story told from the authors point of view gave readers a look into his struggles and others who do not have those experiences an insight into a different way of life. With insight may come understanding when faced with an ethical dilemma, which could affect how that dilemma is handled in modern society. Works Cited: Stevenson, Robert Louis. ““A Chapter on Dreams”.” Selected Essays by Robert Louis Stevenson. Lit2Go Edition. 1892. Web. August 3, 2014.