Dreams

Dreams form a core component and theme in the novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznik. Dreams appear in the novel in two distinct ways: those of the mind, and those of the heart. The theme of dreams primarily affects the characters of Hugo and Georges, in both distinct ways, and secondarily affect Etienne and Rene Tabard as well.

Dreams of the mind appear in the novel when Hugo is asleep, and appear in the films of Georges Melies. Hugo’s dreams more often than not take the form of nightmares, while Georges’s dreams on film take the form of beauty and fantasy. Hugo dreams of terrifying things, such as train wrecks, and the Station Inspector catching him and finding the truth out about him. Hugo’s nightmarish dreams often serve as precursors and omens to bad events in the novel. For example...