ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos


Playlist The Road: Shmoopversations 11 videos

0
The Road Part 1: The Introduction
9368 Views

Well, the world has ended, which is a total bummer. We didn’t even get a chance to sell our super valuable Beanie Baby collection. We hope you’...

1
The Road Part 2: The Setting
12205 Views

The Road is full of emptiness and nobody knows where they’re going. So make a note to self, Shmoopers: when the apocalypse hits, grab a GPS.

2
The Road Part 3: Words
8884 Views

Always read The Road with a dictionary at hand, because you’re going to need it. Seriously. We’re not known to be perfidious (though we do have...

See All

The Road Part 10: Apocalyptic Dreamin 3228 Views


Share It!


Description:

You ever have that dream where all of your teeth fall out? It’s the worst. ...That has nothing to do with this video. We just find that dream unsettling and alarming. Anyway, check out the video to learn about the roles of dreams in The Road.


Transcript

00:01

We speak student!

00:05

[ scream ]

00:06

The Road

00:07

Apocalyptic Dreamin'

00:08

a la Shmoop

00:11

[ dog barks ]

00:12

Why are there so many dreams in the novel?

00:16

There are a ton of dreams throughout the book.

00:18

It actually opens with a dream.

00:19

The man is having this really creepy dream

00:21

about the boy leading him along

00:23

and this weird creature.

00:25

But throughout the book, they have dreams,

00:27

they have nightmares.

00:27

And kind of the sense we get,

00:29

what the father tells the son, is that

00:31

you can't have good dreams

00:33

in such a destitute time.

00:36

If you start having good dreams, it means you've lost touch with reality

00:39

and you're on your way out.

00:41

And so whenever anyone has a good dream in the book,

00:44

it's a bad sign.

00:45

So when the husband starts dreaming of

00:47

happiness in the past or

00:49

hope for the future,

00:51

we start to think,

00:53

"Okay, something's not right."

00:55

The only dreams that make sense

00:57

are the nightmares, because your dreams are reflecting what's happening to you

01:01

during the day.

01:02

So if you're dreaming good things, it means you're coming toward your end.

01:05

If you're having these nightmares, it means that

01:07

you're just dreaming what's actually happening to you.

01:10

[ pen writing ]

01:12

How does the man feel about dreams?

01:15

Why are nightmares a good thing?

01:20

And nightmares are never really a good thing.

Related Videos

The Importance of Being Earnest Summary
123038 Views

They say that honesty is the best policy, but Jack lies about his identity and still gets the girl. Does that mean we should all lie to get what we...

The Giver Summary
105893 Views

Ever wish you could remember everything that you ever studied? How about everything that everyone has ever studied? Yeah, pretty sure our brains ju...

Invisible Man (Ellison)
1818 Views

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is an American classic. Hope you're not expecting any exciting shower scenes though. It's not that kind of book.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1256 Views

Do not go gentle into that good night. In fact, if it's past your curfew, don't go at all into that good night. You just stay in your good bed and...

Quotes: A fool's paradise
294 Views

Find out the meaning behind "a fool's paradise."