Essay Questions

How does Tessa Hadley use domestic settings in her stories?

In literature, homes often symbolize comfort, safety, and identity for the characters who inhabit them. However, in Bad Dreams, these spaces allow the characters to deal with feelings of alienation and their emotions and memories. Houses (and other domestic settings) are conduits through which people can explore themselves. After all, many houses are expressions of who people are. They reflect who they associate with, what their interests are, and how they express themselves (among many other things).

Examine the portrayal of childhood and memory in the stories in Bad Dreams.

Childhood and memory are recurring motifs in Bad Dreams. In many of the stories, characters explore the complexities of memories and reminiscence. It also deals with the fallibility of human memory and how time alters perception and memory itself. Characters' interactions with their past and their navigation between childhood and adulthood can provide insights into broader human experiences of growth, understanding, and loss.