“The war isn’t over, my friend. It’s only sleeping.” (p.131)

At first, it was refreshing to be reading a book set in the modern-day. Seeing mentions of social media and smartphones was a slight surprise after reading older pieces of literature. However, very quickly, I began to forget what time period it was set in. I suppose that some things don’t really change, especially in a place recovering from war and suffering the leadership of an egoist.

The book itself follows Daniel Benchimol, but not always. Sometimes it pivots its perspective through the use of letters and journals, such as to former interrogator Hossi, or to Benchimol’s daughter, Karinguiri. I found every one of these characters to be compelling in themselves. Each one dreams of some kind of freedom or progress, but they go about different ways to achieve it. Ultimately, the revolt at the end of the book is not thanks to any one person. Karinguiri may have started it with her stunts, but Benchimol adds the fuel to the flames with his outburst, and Hossi is the one who delivers the coup de grace.

I do have one thing I want to discuss more about. Why is it The Society of Reluctant Dreamers? Dreams are an interesting part of this book. Everything revolves around the dreams that people have, and dreams take on a supernatural character. Benchimol dreams of Moira before he ever meets her, while Moira herself depicts her dreams using photographs of herself. Hossi has the ability to travel into the dreams of others, and Helio is a scientist who develops a way to record someone’s dreams.

“It’s hard to tell a lie when we’re naked.” (p.169)

It’s interesting that Moira is always naked in her photos. I believe in our dreams we are “naked”; that is, our minds are bared to their fullest. Dreams are truth. We have no control over them and there is always an element of the real in dreams even when they are fantastical. It extends to the metaphorical sense of dreams as ambitions too. So when Hossi enters the dreams of everyone and stomps the dream-President into the ground, he is revealing the truth to everyone: that the oppressors are weak and the oppressed are strong.

All they have to do is wake up.

But I would like to ask my fellow classmates: why do you think it’s The Society of Reluctant Dreamers?

 

“A friend once told me she thought dreaming was the same as living, but without the great lie that life is.” (p.43)