Dreams- timothy findley

            It is often mistaken that doctors give more of a lasting affect on the patients. However, in the story "Dreams" Timothy Findley thoughtfully proved that misconception to be wrong. Through the idea of sharing dreams, Findley illustrated the connection between patients and doctors. He was able to accomplish this through the comparison of two characters: Dr. Everett Menlo and Dr. Mimi Menlo. Findley used these contrasting characters to convey the underlying message of the story: a doctor/ patient relationship should be symbiotic. .
             Everett and Mimi are two characters that represent the opposing extremes of psychiatric care. Everett is the removed, colder, and almost unloving character. This is seen in all aspects of his life. Everett is not what an ideal husband should be. He is emotionally separated from Mimi. Many examples of this can be seen in the text: they sleep in separate beds, they agreed never to work together, he turned away from her while changing, he refused to talk about his sleep depravation and was angered when Mimi would stay up with him or ask him about it. Instead of talking about his anger in a healthy manner, he tended to "manifest it in other ways, in silence and withdrawal." Though the couple's marriage problems do not lie solely with him, Everett makes less of an effort to be a good, loving husband. He valued control and hard work. He works with a "physical intensity that kills." Everett believed this kind of work ethic was what made their lives worth living. Everett displayed the same control and disconnection toward his patients. He viewed them as conquests to prove his great healing abilities rather than people who are in need of help. His main patient, Kenneth Albright, brought Everett many frustrations. He was difficult to connect with and his only memories were dreams. Everett treated Kenneth in a calculated fashion. He kept him in "an isolation cell, forced fed, and drugged" him.