Perchance to Dream by Richard Stockham
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"Perchance to Dream" by Richard Stockham is a science fiction novella written in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores themes of existential despair and the search for meaning within a meticulously controlled dystopian city. The story follows the life of a worker, known only as Twenty-three, who grapples with a profound sense of emptiness as he dreams of escape and a more vibrant existence beyond the confines of his machine-driven reality. The
plot centers on Twenty-three's struggles within the oppressive environment of the city, where individuals are conditioned to control their dreams using a prescribed dream machine. As he experiences increasingly troubling dreams, he begins to question the purpose of their monotonous toil and the life they are living. The arrival of alternative dream cards from a mysterious man offers him a glimpse of hope and freedom. Driven by a desire to escape, Twenty-three embarks on a journey of self-discovery that culminates in a desperate act to break free from the dream machine—ultimately leading him to a richer, more fulfilling existence beyond the city's walls, where life and nature flourish in stark contrast to the sterile environment he has known. Through Twenty-three's awakening, the novella contemplates the value of individual dreams and the importance of pursuing true freedom. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Stockham, Richard |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Freas, Kelly, 1922-2005 |
| Title | Perchance to Dream |
| Series Title | Produced from IF Worlds of Science Fiction May 1954. |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 84.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Dystopias -- Fiction |
| Subject | Dreams -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 32859 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-32859-1 |
| Release Date | Jun 17, 2010 |
| Last Update | Jan 6, 2021 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 220 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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