THE MOTIF OF DREAMS IN ANDRIĆ’S SHORT STORIES

Abstract

The motif of dreams, in addition to the motif of a woman and space, is very significant and frequent in Andrić’s literary work. In fact, the motif of dreams presents a different way of realizing the motif of space, Andrić’s characters are equally realized through it, they live and act in it. This is the result of Andrić’s general interest in human beings and his continuous reflection on their psychology and life. Since the reality and dreams represent the inseparable parts of human life and nature, Andrić is interested in the totality of their variations, following all mutual interrelationships and effects on human beings, their life and psychology. Andrić’s reflection on human beings (their body, spirituality, destiny, life) is not intended to disclose or establish systematic accuracy or organization, but, on the contrary, it is aimed at dynamics, disharmony, and disorder observed in the overall complexity of individual cases. The functions and appearances of the motif of dreams in the short stories are various and numerous: as a long-awaited and unfulfilled desire floating in front of eyes; as a spiritual continuation of real life or an attempt to escape from it; as an extension of suffering, torture and fear; as a hallucination or vision; as an inexplicable punishment, award or a struggle with own consciousness; as a rest; as a sign and hint, etc.