The Function of Dream Sleep

The Function of Dream Sleep is a topic that has captured the attention of millions of people around the world. With its wide scope and impact on society, this issue has generated intense debate both in the media and in the public sphere. From its origins to its current influence, The Function of Dream Sleep has left an indelible mark on history, affecting individuals and communities alike. In this article, we will explore the various facets of The Function of Dream Sleep in detail, analyzing its impact, implications, and possible solutions.

"The Function of Dream Sleep" is a fantasy short story by American writer Harlan Ellison, first published in his 1988 anthology Angry Candy. Ellison stated that it was inspired by an actual dream.[1]

Plot summary

While grieving the deaths of several of his close friends, McGrath awakens from sleep to find that he is being bitten by an enormous mouth full of teeth; it then vanishes, leaving him with a profound sensation of loss. In seeking to understand what has happened, he discovers a hidden truth about the world.

Reception

The story won the 1989 Locus Award for Best Novelette,[2] and was a finalist for the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Novelette[3] and the 1988 Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction.[4]

Kirkus Reviews has described it as "Ellison aptly dramatizing his own emotional catharsis."[5] Gary K. Wolfe and Ellen Weil have criticized the story both for the central premise — stating that the mouth (which they call "bizarre" and "surreal") does not represent "McGrath's pain and loss but his refusal or inability to process mature grief" — and for its structure, which they consider to be parallel to "any number of science fiction wish-fulfillment fantasies involving secret masters", and thus "inappropriate for a tale of suffering".[6]

References

  1. ^ Introduction to Angry Candy, by Harlan Ellison, published 1988; "I saw the thread, and one day actually had the strange dream that opens 'The Function of Dream Sleep' and I knew I had to write that story to make some sense of all this misery and loneliness and aching."
  2. ^ Locus Award Winners by Category, at the Science Fiction Awards Database; retrieved August 27, 2017
  3. ^ 1989 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 27, 2017
  4. ^ Past Bram Stoker Nominees & Winners Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, at the Horror Writers Association; retrieved September 21, 2017
  5. ^ Angry Candy, by Harlan Ellison, reviewed at Kirkus Reviews; published October 19, 1988; retrieved August 27, 2017
  6. ^ Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever, by Gary K. Wolfe and Ellen Weil, published 2002 by Ohio State University Press