The Family—A Dream Analysis—

Some time ago I had a moving and painful dream, which seemed to me exceptional both in form and content. It occurred during the early part of my own analysis, at a time when the analyst had gone on a vacation. I therefore undertook its analysis myself, and the resultant insight proved a crucial step forward in my work, for the dream was one of those which reflects to the depths the entire unconscious constellation. The study of such dreams is always illuminating, particularly when made by the dreamer himself; and therefore in what follows, I shall report the analysis in its original form, which, as it turned out, required no additions or revisions. The dream, to which I have given the name “The Family”, was as follows:

I am being shown the courts of the law. I am anxious to go on to the court of classic crimes of horror, medieval murders, but the Judge says: “Is not this one bad enough? It pertains to loss of property and arsenic.” And I realize, there may be interesting deaths over property also.

Then I am being shown one of the cases, a photograph of a huge old family, with hundreds of children living on a great and ancient estate. I think how wonderful it is to be of such a family and meet one's cousins over the face of the earth.

Now I am actually looking at this great family. But they have been criminally dispossessed of their broad estate. They are living in a vast series of underground cavelike construction projects in the slum area, with walls of cement. I feel very sorry for them

Others do also, apparently. Photographers come to record their place and plight, bringing, to my amusement, the

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“standard” bearded old derelict, and the “standard” little waif, whose pictures are familiar, for they are from Hollywood, and always hire themselves out for such occasions.

Now a new blow strikes the family. Enormous construction machines enter the smooth cement caverns, to tear up and destroy them, to make them into something else. I feel especially sorry for the children.