What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson
"What Dreams May Come" is a novel by Richard Matheson that explores the themes of life after death and the enduring connections between loved ones. The story centers on Chris Nielsen, a television writer who grapples with his own mortality after a fatal car accident. Initially in disbelief about his death, Chris struggles to communicate with his grieving wife, Ann, who does not believe in an afterlife. As he transitions to a beautiful, non-material afterworld known as Summerland, he learns that Ann's despair has led her to take her own life, placing her in a lower realm akin to Hell.
Guided by his deceased cousin Albert, Chris embarks on a journey to find Ann, motivated by their deep bond as soulmates. Despite her initial inability to recognize him, Chris makes significant sacrifices to help her escape her suffering. Ultimately, the novel emphasizes themes of love, sacrifice, and the belief in rebirth, culminating in the revelation that Ann will be reincarnated. This poignant narrative invites readers to reflect on the nature of existence and the possibility of connection beyond death.
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What Dreams May Come
First published: 1978
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—theological romance
Time of work: The late twentieth century
Locale: A world after death
The Plot
Richard Matheson deals in this novel with the subject of life after death, incorporating his own views of the purpose of life. Chris Nielsen, a television writer, is involved in an automobile accident and witnesses his own death in a hospital room. At first, he refuses to accept his death. A man he does not at first recognize appears by his bedside to aid his transition to the afterworld, but Chris’s longing to be with his wife and to comfort her prevents him from listening to the man. Chris witnesses his own funeral and the well-intentioned attempt by his son, Richard, to console his wife, Ann. Ann does not believe in life after death, and Richard’s attempt to convince her ends with disastrous results.
For a time, Chris continues to try to convince his wife of his existence, but by degrees he comes to realize that this is futile and that remaining in the physical world is no longer valid. It is then that he is able to make the transition to the afterworld.
Chris wakes up in a pleasant, idealized world similar to the one he left but nonmaterial. He is greeted by the man who had appeared by his bedside, whom he now recognizes as a deceased cousin, Albert. Albert acts as a guide, explaining to Chris the details of the afterworld, which he calls Summerland, and the ultimate destination of the soul.
Chris’s concern for his wife holds him back and increases when Albert informs him that Ann has committed suicide and is condemned to spend the remainder of her allotted time in what he calls the “lower realm”—in essence, Hell. Chris pleads with Albert to help him find her. Albert balks at first, claiming that to do so would interfere with her destiny, but on learning that Chris and Ann are soulmates, he agrees to take Chris to the lower realm to search for Ann.
Eventually Chris finds her, in a place much like their own home but run down and barren. Because she still does not believe in survival after death, she does not recognize Chris despite his persistent and adroit efforts to identify himself. Attempts at logic fail, even a long, poignant speech thanking her for everything she has been to him. Finally, Chris makes the ultimate sacrifice, agreeing to spend Ann’s allotted term in Hell with her. Finally Ann recognizes him, and his act of love gives her enough awareness to escape. When Chris wakes up in Summerland, he learns that Ann has been reincarnated in the physical world.