A New Kind of Dreaming

Analytical Essay; A New Kind of Dreaming

Jamie Riley changing for the better throughout the novel 'A New Kind of Dreaming' is thanks to many of the events throughout his stay in Port Barren. The courts sending Jamie to Port Barren on Isolated Care, I find, is the best thing they have done for him. Even though he was targeted, threatened and set-up, he managed to endure it, and come out the other side a better person. He can only owe it to Port Barren and its people for the turnaround in his life.

Jamie's poor attitude and behaviour issues are no fault of his own. They are at the fault of both his father and late mother. His mother had passed when Jamie was quite young, and his father was of no use either, '…usually too pissed to worry about anything, particularly the boys.' Having no parents meant that both Jamie and Eddie could do whatever they like and not have to reap the consequences.

Jamie and I

Kings and Queens (Jamie T album)

Jamie Staff - Kilo Time Trial

Jamie and Eddie both took full advantage of this situation, and it hasn't done either of them any favours. Eddie is now behind bars, still with no concept of the severity of the situation. He just continues to think that it doesn't matter, that he will get out and go and find Jamie in Port Barren and they'll live happily ever after. This attitude of Eddie's plays a major part in influencing Jamie, especially because Eddie is the only person Jamie can look up to, and he isn't what I would call a 'good influence'. So as Jamie carries this attitude into Port Barren, he cops a bit of shit for it. As soon as he arrives in Port Barren, he stops dead still in the road with shock, as if 'something bad, something...