Dreams and Illusions

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Dreams and illusions are not much more then a person’s ultimate fantasy or a person’s ultimate despair. Some may be attainable, and some nay not be attainable. In Flaubert’s “The Legend of St. Hospitator”, we see how the charcters’ dreams and illusions come true, but what is more amazing is how they come true illusions. In the beginning of the story, Flaubert decribes the kingdom from top of the castle and works him self down. This is a clue to the reader for Julian’s destiny. When Julian was born, a old beggar came to his mother and told her that her son would one day be saint. This was her ultimate fantasy! Then the next day a gypsy came to his father and told him that Julian would one day be a great and powerful warrior. This was his father’s fantasy! Both, his mother and father had been told what they wanted to hear. But no one ever asked Julian what he wanted. During his childhood Julian was taught the holy scriptures and was taught how to have courage. Julian’s true characteristics were slightly lighted upon, when one day in church he saw a mouse and killed it with his hands and just threw it away like nothing had happened. Then one day in the woods he saw a pigeon sitting. He then took a rock and smashed it, then he started plucking the bird alive. When he realized that the bird wasn’t dead he got mad and started choking it till it died.. This filled him with “a savage, passionate delight”. As the story goes, on Julian becomes an expert hunter. Then one day in the woods, he was ambushed by a huge stag. Julian attacked and hit the stag with a arrow in his head, yet the beast still coming refusing to die till it accomplished its goal. The stag came to Julian and told him that one day he would kill his parents. From then he never hunted again. This had changed his life forever. After that he no longer did anything for pleasure or sport. His goal was to help people. He formed a army that soon became known as the best army in the land. His father’s dream had come true! After some time he married and refused to go to war anymore. Ocassionly his friends would ask him to go hunting, but Julian tamed his temptations and refused.

In this essay, the author

  • Opines that illusions come true, but what's more amazing is how they're made.
  • Opines that julian's destiny is a clue to the reader.
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