To Dream or Not to Dream?

Humans dream. Animals dream. Extraterrestrials probably dream too. (Surely in our universe of more than 100 billion galaxies, planets with aliens exist.)

Many renowned stories were inspired by dreams:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Misery by Stephen King

Sophie’s Choice by William Styron

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Twelve Stories and a Dream by H.G. Wells

Is a Dream Just a Dream?

Or can dreams represent more: guidance or warnings, perhaps? You decide.

Even if you don’t believe in the symbolic nature of dreams, many readers do, and your characters might as well — possibly to the extent that their dreams become an obsession.

Part 1 of this post provided symbols from the first half of the alphabet. Part 2 continues with the second half.

N Is for Nudity

Appearing naked in a dream might indicate vulnerability or a worry about possible ridicule or disgrace.

Story prompt: [A food server, A serial killer, A prominent politician] dreams of running naked down a major freeway. Motorists laugh and honk their horns. Several days later, the character [enrolls in a public-speaking class, updates the house’s security system, retires from politics].

O Is for Orchids

Orchids symbolize tenderness, romance, beauty, and sensuality. Perhaps the character is in a relationship that needs tender loving care.

Story prompt: [A florist, A golf pro, A gymnast, A swimming instructor] dreams of orchids, waking to a sweet fragrance in the air (although the character lives alone). The character [emails, phones, texts] [_____] and says, “[_____].”

P Is for Poison

Poison in a dream could symbolize persons, situations, or things that might be toxic to the dreamer.

Story prompt: [A NASA employee, A philanthropist, A polygamist, A scientist] dreams of ingesting poisoned [coffee, eggnog, marijuana brownies, mushrooms], which cause(s) stomach pains that result in an ambulance trip to the hospital. A telephone call from [_____] interrupts the dream, and the character responds by [_____].

Q Is for Quicksand

A character who dreams of being trapped in quicksand may be embroiled in an unstable situation that could cause harm.

Story prompt: [A big game hunter, A pirate, A poacher, A pole dancer] dreams of falling into quicksand and being taunted by [an elephant, a Royal Navy captain, a gorilla, a bartender]. On waking, the person [_____].

R Is for Rabbit

A rabbit in a dream signifies fortune, fertility (what a surprise), and success. Remember the lucky rabbit’s foot that some people carry for good luck?

Story prompt: [A gambling addict, A billionaire, A real estate developer] dreams of tiny white rabbits scrambling over the bed like ants. On waking, the character [calls a bookie, checks real-time stock market data online, buys land near a proposed highway].

S Is for Spear

This could point to an argument or a literal or figurative stab in the back.

Story prompt: During extended negotiations with [producers, dissatisfied board members, city council, city management], [an actor, a CEO, a mayor, a sanitation engineer] dreams about a tribe of cavemen armed with spears. The character consults a dream dictionary and reacts to the dream by [_____].

T Is for Thunder

In real life, we hear thunder after we see lightning. In a dream, thunder might warn of hard times to come or aggressive emotions that threaten to overwhelm a character.

Story prompt: [A firefighter, A meteorologist, A single parent] dreams of thunder and wakes in a cold sweat. Although the character isn’t fond of thunder, the dislike isn’t strong enough to cause nightmares. An internet search reveals the symbolism of thunder, and the person [triple-checks all equipment on the firetruck, buys gold bullion, stocks up on non-perishable food and diapers].

U Is for Umbrella

An umbrella protects from rain and indicates that a person is protected from worry, trouble, or the difficult issues of life.

Story prompt: [An accountant, A food server, A truck driver] consults a dreamologist about frequent dreams involving open umbrellas. The dreamologist assures the character that open umbrellas indicate a protected future. The character, although pleased with the assurance, purchases [umbrella cufflinks, umbrella jewelry, umbrella bandanas] as extra security.

V Is for Veil

A dream about a veil represents the desire to conceal something. It might also indicate looming difficulties.

Story prompt: [An alcoholic, A person in the witness protection program, An undercover cop] continually dreams of being smothered by a veil. The character reacts by [hiding all booze in the house, checking newscasts for information about the court case that resulted in the need for protection, checks the apartment for surveillance equipment before hiding cash confiscated from a drug dealer].

W Is for Wheel

A smoothly rolling wheel might indicate power, progress, or a successful cycle. A flat tire could indicate the opposite.

Story prompt: Dreams of a rolling wheel cause sleep interruptions for [a college professor, a computer programmer, a motocross racer], who reacts by [demanding tenure, starting an independent company, racing in MXoN (The Motocross of Nations)].

X Is for X

X is a symbol of something that is forbidden. It is also used to mark the spot on a treasure map, which could point to goals soon to be accomplished.

Story prompt: [A beachcomber, A ground-penetrating radar operator, A teenager] dreams of a map where “X marks the spot.” The dream is so realistic that the character believes it has been sent by a guardian angel. However, here’s where “something that is forbidden” enters the story, and the character [finds a banned book in the sand, discovers a set of lawn darts buried in the woods, locates someone who sells exam answers].

Y Is for Yellow Bird

Yellow birds, like canaries, symbolize joy and a positive outlook on life. A dead yellow bird foreshadows disaster.

Story prompt: Nightmares of yellow birds hitting windows and breaking their necks haunt the owner of [a car dealership, an office building, a shopping mall], who reacts by coating the windows with reflective film. But the character’s actions create a new problem: a fire caused by the reflective heat.

Z Is for Zoo

A zoo represents cages and lack of freedom. Characters dreaming about zoos might suffer from claustrophobia, or they might feel that their talents are not receiving the recognition they deserve.

Story prompt: Dreams of a zoo with cages that extend upward for miles unsettle the nights of [an artist, a convict whose release is delayed due to a technicality, a veterinarian]. The character responds by [depicting the dreams in paintings — but can only do so while working in an outdoor setting, breaks the nose of someone who refers to the character as a loser, sells the veterinary clinic with its cubicles and moves to a rural area].

More Dream Symbols

You’ll find thousands of dream symbols in online dictionaries — rife with thought-provoking ideas for stories — at sites like the following.

• Aisling A-Z Dream Dictionary
• Dream Dictionary
• Dream Moods
• Myths-Dreams-Symbols
• Psychologist World Dreams Dictionary
• The Curious Dreamer Dream Dictionary