Sweet Dreams are made of These: The Flower

Visible also in Pegasus, therefore, is the imagination's aspiration to lift us above the material world, to disencumber us of given restraints. The flower, no doubt, makes visible the opposite movement of imagination, its willful re-encumbering of itself, its anchoring of itself in the ground- its aspiration, in other words, to rival material reality in its vivacity. ~ Elaine Scarry in Dreaming by the Book

10. The absence of the stimuli of external bodies, and of volition, in our dreams renders the organs of sense liable to be more strongly affected by the powers of sensation, and of association. For our desires or aversions, or the obtrusions of surrounding bodies, dissever the sensitive and associate tribes of ideas in our waking hours by introducing those of irritation and volition amongst them. Hence proceeds the superior distinctness of pleasurable or painful imagery in our sleep; for we recall the figure and the features of a long lost friend, whom we loved, in our dreams with much more accuracy and vivacity than in our waking thoughts. This circumstance contributes to prove, that our ideas of imagination are reiterations of those motions of our organs of sense, which were excited by external objects; because while we are exposed to the stimuli of present objects, our ideas of absent objects cannot be so distinctly formed. ~ Erasmus Darwin in Zoonomia

          In the article written by Scarry, we learn about the importance of the flower in the imagery of dreams. It tells of how the abstract in dreams are collections of prior conceived objects that are not directly symbolic of anything. Rather, these objects are place markers for ideas that are inconceivable. The flower is different. It is a grounding in the real world that is able to hold the greatest attention and beauty. It is through the flower that the dreamer tries to bring reality to the abstract. It tells about the flower is so perfect for memory and the vision captured. Darwin tells of the physiological implications of dreaming and sleep. In the last sentence of the extract above, "This circumstance contributes to prove, that our ideas of imagination are reiterations of those motions of our organs of sense, which were excited by external objects; because while we are exposed to the stimuli of present objects, our ideas of absent objects cannot be so distinctly formed." This fits exactly with what Scarry talks about. Darwin tells about how imagination is more stable and believable when it is grounded in reality. This is because it is more powerful and takes more concentration and will to reproduce something so complex and little as a flower in one's mind.

           This brings to mind a question that has been given some popular thought. The idea of lucid dreaming and losing oneself in such a dream. Most recently the movie inception tried to struggle with this question. But it is very important to think about. Since we discuss how the mind works and its studies, why not investigate its ability to replicate the real world. Many questions then come to mind. How does our brain recreate the real? How does one believe these recreations, even if the belief is temporary? These seem the most important because it deals with something that is exclusively internal. Something that can only be experienced from the mind of the dreamer. While everyone dreams, everyone has different dreams that have some subconscious commentary on there life. It is a question not only for philosophy but of science as well. If the mind is able to trick and be tricked at the same time, what mechanisms are activated and can they be manipulated? Can the flower with its infinite beauty and unending complexity be pinpointed by the neuroscientist? These readings in my own opinion don't give answers but raise many more, a quizzical hydra of sorts. All we know is that the vivid ability to recreate reality captures our attention. It can be seen in movies, literature, digital media, and any other sort of entertainment. This ability to set oneself in the moment, to recreate a time that did exist and to imprint it onto an endless space is nothing short of marvelous in the truest sense of the word. So this ability to dream a dream, to re-experience an experience, is something that is so vast and complex that even the most delicate things of life, like the gorgeous bowl of roses, or the delphinium; must be taken in separately and studied. Only after one can master the knowledge of the flower, can they take the next step towards decoding the mirage that is the dream.