Dream Stuff by David Malouf

Essay by cazaroline22High School, 12th grade February 2004

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Dream Stuff is about the resolution of problems for individuals. Discuss.

Dream Stuff, is a collection of stories where problems arise within relationships of family members because of a number of individual differences. Factors such as isolation, cultural clashes, ownership, power and identity all contribute to the problems and struggles of Amy ' s religious family in Closer , and Jordan McGivern ' s search for identity in Blacksoil Country.

Amy's family are Pentecostals and she has been brought up to follow religious traditions and beliefs ahead of family values. Amy ' s silence and difficulties in coming to terms of the alienation and ' banishing ' of her Uncle Charles from the family has to do with both her young age and biblical teachings which dominate her thinking and use of language. She doesn ' t quite understand the reasoning for the exclusion of her Uncle and longs for ' a new day coming ' , a hopeful dream that one day she will have a relationship with her Uncle.

Grandpa Morpeth cast his own brother out of the family because he believes Charles has betrayed the family and committed ' abominations ' . He has forbidden him to come to the family home, which distresses Amy as she sees him waiting at the fence in the scorching sun feeling ' the burning sweat on him. ' She can feel his suffering pain, the feeling of rejection and his identity being considered invalid. However ' it is Grandma who feels it the most. She likes to touch. ' Grandma is also suffering in this story, as she is more inclined to forgive as she is the mother and nurture of Charles. Yet ' she does not speak ' out of loyalty and respect for her husband. Uncle Charels...