I went with 'more complicated than that', because although I think he's totally lying, I daresay what he's had have been variations on the theme (love and family and security) rather than the exact same dream over and over.
The first time I saw DALDoM, I didn't question his statement--not because I thought he'd never had fantasies about a "settled" life but for two reasons: 1. I didn't think he'd really fantasized that much about Lisa and Ben in that family life (or even Lisa as a monogamous relationship); 2. I thought that it was because he was so aware that Sam was with him, that his subconscious was bringing up dreams he might not have dreamed on his own. In other words, he was so worried about thing Sam might see that his brain started imagining exactly those things that he thought might embarrass him.
Hmm, yes. I don't think it would be so much Lisa and Ben specifically he'd dream about as the kind of life they represent - meeting them brought him up sharp against the fact that he is simply never going to have that kind of life, that kind of stable, happy home life. He could have been Ben's father, very easily, but wasn't - meeting them both opened and closed the door on a specific possibilty, that of leaving something of himself behind in the world when he is gone, as well as of having a family of his own to hold on to for the time he has left.
Most of all, back when he knew Lisa, she was obviously exactly the kind of party girl he usually hooks up with, the kind that's only too happy to indulge in a casual fling, knowing she will never see him again. But she obviously made enough of an impression on him that he remembered her with great fondness almost nine years later. So to meet up with her again and see how much her life has moved forward, while his is not only still stuck in pretty much the same place but about to end - about to end without ever having achieved what Lisa has in terms of a family of her own. Well, I can see where that would make a profound impression on him, especially in the frame of mind we know him to be in as season 3 plays out and he faces his fate.
We already know from Route 666 and WIAWSNB that a stable monogomous relationship is his ideal, but that his circumstances make it impossible, which is why he sticks to the tomcat routine. The specific scenario that Sam sees? May or may not be something he has dreamed before. But with his date with the hellhounds getting ever closer, and Lisa and Ben very fresh in his memory as a representation of the family he will never have, I think his subconscious would very much be using them to torment him in his sleep as just another thing to regret about his life - the what could have been.
Yup, and that all makes perfect sense. Like I said, I don't doubt that he has had dreams about family and stability and being loved in that sense--as you say, WIAWSNB is a prime example of what his subconscious keeps buried--and that Lisa was the most recent candidate for his brain to work with.
I dunno, I guess just the first time I saw it, the line reading sounded to me more like, "Whoa, that's weird" than "Uh...very embarrassed. Must cover up."
But I think it's a little bit of both. So as you say: More Complicated than Just Plain Lying. But not telling the absolute truth, either.
Deanology. Like psychology but way more fun. Whee!
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-07-25 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-25 11:40 pm (UTC)The first time I saw DALDoM, I didn't question his statement--not because I thought he'd never had fantasies about a "settled" life but for two reasons: 1. I didn't think he'd really fantasized that much about Lisa and Ben in that family life (or even Lisa as a monogamous relationship); 2. I thought that it was because he was so aware that Sam was with him, that his subconscious was bringing up dreams he might not have dreamed on his own. In other words, he was so worried about thing Sam might see that his brain started imagining exactly those things that he thought might embarrass him.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-26 05:24 am (UTC)Most of all, back when he knew Lisa, she was obviously exactly the kind of party girl he usually hooks up with, the kind that's only too happy to indulge in a casual fling, knowing she will never see him again. But she obviously made enough of an impression on him that he remembered her with great fondness almost nine years later. So to meet up with her again and see how much her life has moved forward, while his is not only still stuck in pretty much the same place but about to end - about to end without ever having achieved what Lisa has in terms of a family of her own. Well, I can see where that would make a profound impression on him, especially in the frame of mind we know him to be in as season 3 plays out and he faces his fate.
We already know from Route 666 and WIAWSNB that a stable monogomous relationship is his ideal, but that his circumstances make it impossible, which is why he sticks to the tomcat routine. The specific scenario that Sam sees? May or may not be something he has dreamed before. But with his date with the hellhounds getting ever closer, and Lisa and Ben very fresh in his memory as a representation of the family he will never have, I think his subconscious would very much be using them to torment him in his sleep as just another thing to regret about his life - the what could have been.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-26 12:51 pm (UTC)I dunno, I guess just the first time I saw it, the line reading sounded to me more like, "Whoa, that's weird" than "Uh...very embarrassed. Must cover up."
But I think it's a little bit of both. So as you say: More Complicated than Just Plain Lying. But not telling the absolute truth, either.
Deanology. Like psychology but way more fun. Whee!