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In the fall of 1957, during the period of anxiety in this country, which was created by the launching of the first Russian Sputnik, a patient presented a dream that clearly demonstrated the sleep preservative function of the dream. However, it was not until the tenth anniversary of the Sputnik's exploits that subsequent phantasy material presented by the same patient, who was still in treatment, suggested a special significance to this dream which I wish to report in this brief communication. This dream appeared to exhibit an unusual aspect of Lewin's dream screen.7 I realize the limitations of my findings, based as they are upon material separated by ten years, but I feel that there can be value in retrospective construction. Other investigators may supply evidence to support or disprove my findings.
Although the patient suffered from a severe obsessive compulsive neurosis, he had conflicts on all levels of libidinal development. It was in 1957 that his castration anxiety increased; this was related to his belief that the Russians had beaten the United States in orbiting the first space vehicle. Professionally, the patient was working in the space program for our government. His unconscious phantasies at that time revealed that he feared competition with the Oedipal father would end in personal injury and loss of his mother.
Concurrently, it was reported in the newspapers that the Sputnik could be viewed crossing the sky at 5:50 a.m. on a certain day. He decided to witness this historic event, set his alarm for 5:30 a.m.,