Dreams and reality
One of the most significant themes in the short story collection is the connection between dreams and reality. The title story of the collection, called "Bad Dreams," follows a young girl who is dreaming. In her dream, she stumbles upon a room in her house that she never saw when she was awake, mystifying her. The girl struggles to determine whether the room actually exists or if it is a figment of her imagination. Simultaneously, in the context of dreams and reality, the girl also deals with her life and some of the challenges she faces throughout her life. Ultimately, through this theme, Hadley explores the idea that we can never truly escape our subconscious fears or desires (even when sleeping).
Memory
Memory plays a significant role in the collection. In one of the stories in the collection, a girl in the middle reimagines a dream she had in her childhood, suggesting that our memories are not fixed; instead, they evolve over time based on subsequent experiences and emotions. The concept of memory, especially memories from childhood, being malleable speaks to the larger human experience of trying to remember things. Memories, especially those from early life, can be influenced by several factors, including emotions, subsequent experiences, and even other stories or narratives that others tell us. To that end, the story raises questions about the reliability of our memories.
Self-evolution
Several of the stories contained within Bad Dreams deal with the theme of self-evolution. In many of the stories, characters revisit their past selves, contend with their old decisions, and deal with how they've changed over time. For example, in one story, Jane Allsop deals with her past self and how she changed after being abducted very briefly. Hadley explores the fluid nature of identity through the inclusion of this theme. As humans, the person we were in the past is typically very different than the person we are in the present. That is a universal statement that every person can relate to. This theme prompts readers to reflect on their own journeys and the periods during which they transformed.
