Dream Children by Gail Godwin
"Dream Children" by Gail Godwin explores the life of Mrs. McNair, a woman grappling with the aftermath of a profound loss. Set in a serene seventeenth-century Dutch farmhouse along the Hudson River, the story unfolds after an unspecified tragedy, hinting at the emotional turmoil underlying Mrs. McNair's seemingly cheerful demeanor. Living a dual existence, she navigates her husband’s city life during the week while cherishing her solitary rural days filled with reading about the supernatural and riding her stallion, Blue Boy.
Mrs. McNair’s interactions with her neighbors reveal contrasting perceptions; while Mr. DePuy views her as reckless, Mrs. DePuy empathizes with the hidden sorrow beneath her bravado. The narrative delves into the mystical, as Mrs. McNair experiences nighttime visits from her deceased son, whom she imagines as a two-year-old child. These dreamlike encounters provide her solace, allowing her to confront her grief in a unique way. Ultimately, the story reveals the tragic circumstances of her son’s birth and death, underscoring themes of loss, motherhood, and the complexities of reality versus imagination. Through Mrs. McNair's journey, Godwin invites readers to reflect on the nature of grief and the comforting power of dreams.
On this Page
Dream Children by Gail Godwin
First published: 1971
Type of plot: Psychological
Time of work: 1971
Locale: Hudson River Valley, New York
Principal Characters:
Mrs. McNair , the protagonistMr. McNair , her husbandA nurse , her nurse during her postpartum hospital stay
The Story
The story begins some time after an unspecified tragedy has befallen the protagonist, Mrs. McNair, and it is a wonder that she has not gone mad. Nevertheless, Mrs. McNair is portrayed as a happy woman, one who embodies the qualities desired in a young wife. She is neat and cheerful, well dressed, and polite. She returns her library books on time and politely agrees with others' political opinions, even though she has experienced a terrible, freakish thing.
Mrs. McNair, whose husband remains in the city during weekdays and is little more than a visitor on weekends, lives in a seventeenth century Dutch farmhouse that is apparently situated along the lower Hudson River in New York State. There, with her stallion and her large silver dog, Blue Boy, she exists in a peaceful but somewhat mystical, weekday world, in which she spends numerous hours reading about the supernatural and riding her horse. Science fiction, ghost stories, and parapsychology particularly appeal to her because she experienced her unexplained tragedy.
Through the eyes of her neighbor, Mr. DePuy, Mrs. McNair is observed on one of her early morning gallops on her stallion. Perceiving her as reckless and arrogant, Mr. DePuy, an otherwise kind and decent man, discovers himself wishing for her to fall. Her wantonness distresses him. Mrs. DePuy, however, more charitably recognizes the tragedy underlying Mrs. McNair's recklessness. She has nothing to fear anymore, thinks Mrs. DePuy, who simultaneously pities and envies her.
Although there are several allusions to her tragedy throughout the story, its exact nature is not described until the end. Meanwhile, the reader learns more about Mrs. McNair's somewhat dreamlike existence. As a child, she was prone to sleepwalking. Her parents, fearing for her safety, sent her to a psychiatrist. After the sympathetic psychiatrist informed her that children possess magically sagacious powers, her night journeys ended. Now, as a bereft adult, she derives comfort from the psychiatrist's words.
One evening she is awakened by peculiar noises emanating from a guest bedroom, in which she discovers her son, dead at birth, now two years old and clothed in clean but worn pajamas. His large eyes are the same as before: dark and unblinking. Mother and son do not speak to each other, but she is comforted by his presence. On six occasions during the next six months, she visits with him, imagining for him another life and another mother. She perceives herself as being like her husband, who maintains two separate lives—his weekday life in the city and his weekend life with her in the country. She also has two separate existences, but to her, the day world appears surreal while her dream world is real.
Mrs. McNair does not care whether her son's nocturnal visits actually occur or are simply imagined; to her, the level on which they meet does not matter. Through him she fully experiences the implications of the magically sagacious powers of children. Because of her dream child, she is a happy woman who rides her stallion faster than fear, awaiting her son's nightly visitations.
In the final paragraphs, the exact nature of her tragedy is described. In the midst of a smoothly progressing natural childbirth, during which she is told by her doctor that delivery will be a breeze, her son dies. Her doctor aggressively but futilely attempts to save him. While her husband faints, Mrs. McNair is sedated. The next morning a nurse enters Mrs. McNair's room and presents her with a baby whom she believes is her son. With a profound, religious relief, Mrs. McNair accepts the child and contentedly nurses him. When the overworked nurse realizes her mistake, she is unable to separate the mother and child, who are now both screaming. Mrs. McNair must be sedated before she will let the child go.