Dreams
& Their Interpretation(s)
Subject: Female, 19 years, college sophomore

Hall, C. S. (1947). Diagnosing personality by the analysis of dreams. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Basic conflict: A desire to remain faithful to her husband, who is in the army overseas, vs. a wish for sexual gratification.

Spotlight Dream B1:
Last night I dreamed that I was walking up the stairs in the administration building and someway or other my dress was flying up around my waist. I remember being terribly embarrassed as the stairs were crowded with students. As I remember, I was running for some sort of an office (that is, I was a candidate) and that was no way to win an office.

Spotlight Dream B2:
Last night I dreamed that I was waiting to be served in a restaurant. I waited an extremely long time and became very impatient.

Interpretation:
These two dreams inform us that the dreamer is growing impatient and contemplates direct action to satisfy her sexual need. The embarrassment is a twinge of conscience for having libidinous thoughts.

Dream B3:
I dreamed my husband was home. We were driving to a picnic (on the beach) and we had a carload of people. I kept praying that I wasn't dreaming, that it was true that he was home. I kept telling myself it must be so because it was so real. I was disappointed when I awakened and found it was just a dream.
Interpretation:
This dream represents the best solution for her conflict, namely, the return of her husband.

Dream B4:
I dreamed that I was in Fort Smith, Ark. I was at some sort of a party and it was in the woods. I suddenly saw my husband. Of course, he kissed me and then we sat down to talk. He said he was bringing some German prisoners over from Germany and he didn't have long to stay. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his wedding ring. I asked him if he had been going out with other girls and he said that he had. I asked him if we could go for a walk to get away from the people and to talk. Just as we started for the walk, I awakened.
Interpretation:
This is a nice rationalization of an impulse to be unfaithful. If the husband were not true to the dreamer, it would excuse her infidelity.

Dream B5:
I dreamed that my husband was dead and was in a suitcase in my closet at the dormitory. My roommate and I were frightened when we found him. The undertaker took him (suitcase and all) to a theatre and placed him up where the projector ordinarily is placed. I was sitting there with him crying while at the same time there was a wedding taking place on the stage. The bride was a friend of mine (a redhead) and she had on a pink wedding gown. As I remember, my husband wasn't dead, but he was "kidding" me. I might mention that I quite often dream that my husband is dead.
Interpretation:
Under the circumstances it would be better if her husband were dead, since this would leave her free to marry another man. The wedding represents her own remarriage. This interpretation is supported by the color of the wedding dress, which would not look well on a red-haired person but which would be becoming on the dreamer, who is blond. This solution, i.e. the death of her husband, is not acceptable to her, so she treats it as make-believe.

Dream B6:
I dreamed that I was talking to my brother-in-law and he suddenly turned into my husband.

Dream B7:
In my dream, my cousin and I were riding and then we suddenly stopped to wait until a helicopter came along to pick us up. I believe I dreamed that we were taken in the helicopter (horses and all) to another trail where we continued our ride.

Dream B8:
I dreamed that my brother and I went to a small restaurant to get something to eat. Dr. H. was the cook there and he was making waffles. Then he suddenly was sitting in a living room and a woman was there. I introduced my brother to him and asked if the woman was his wife. He said, "yes"; but then I remembered that I had met his wife and this woman was very definitely one I had never seen before.

Interpretation:
Although desiring male companionship and love, she cannot be promiscuous. A brother, brother-in-law, cousin, or teacher are respectable substitutes for her husband. B8 has interesting possibilities. It may mean that she is trying to rationalize her own conduct by projecting infidelity onto a respected teacher or that she is attracted to the teacher and wishes him to be unfaithful to his wife in order to justify her own desire to promote an affair with him.


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