The Night Face Up by Julio Cortazer

Lucid dreams, or out of body experiences, are claimed to be real by some, even though scientists and doctors say that they are not real. Susan Blackmore explains in “Lucid Dreaming: Awake in Your Sleep?” that lucid dreams are considered different than normal dreams. Blackmore also goes on to say that a lucid dream requires concentration when someone falls asleep. In some cases people claim that they are able to control their dreams, or leave their body whole they dream. In Julio Cortazer’s story, “The Night Face Up,” the main character can arguably be said to have an out of body experience starting after he is involved in a horrible motorcycle accident. He dreams of traveling back into the past to a time where the Aztecs are attacking the Moteca tribe. There are two different scenarios when it comes to deciding what real life is for the man. Scenario one can be argued that the main character is living in present day, and dreaming of the past. Scenario two involves the main character is living in the past, and dreaming of modern day life. In using Blackmore’s article to explain the story, it makes the most sense when the main character is living in modern day, and dreaming of the past.

An out of body experience is the most viable explanation to why the main character had a random dream about being chased by the Aztecs. An out of body experience, or a lucid dream, is where someone ‘leaves’ their body during the dream and is able to control what they do in the dream. In this day and age, there are instructions everywhere for someone to have an out of body experience. Blackmore talks about the top few steps that claim to help someone achieve an out of body experience. Steps that are claimed to work the most are, “[being involved in] ...

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...m, would be an out of body experience. Blackmore tells us that everything from the traumatic accident, his actions while sleeping in the hospital support this theory. Finally, there are the instances that that the author goes into great detail about the motorcycle ride, or the hospital. The main character knew objects or laws that a Motecan would have no knowledge of. Which means, without a doubt, scenario one supports the story since the evidence shows the main character dreamt of the past.

Works Cited

Blackmore, Susan, ed. "Lucid Dreaming: Awake in Your Sleep?." Dr. Susan Blackmore. Skeptical Inquirer . Web. 13 Apr 2014. .

Cortazar, Julio. "A Night Face Up." Themes in World Literature. Ed. George P. Elliott, Harvey Granite, and Morse Peckham. By Philip McFarland. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. 7-13. Print.