As a dreamer descends from the surface, water becomes mysterious and potentially lethal. Initial Thoughts on Gaston Bachelard's Water and Dreams
One of the most haunting images in the book is the well. For Bachelard, the deep well represents the vertical depth of the unconscious. Horizontal travel (rivers) is one thing, but vertical descent into the well is a journey into the self-subsisting abyss. He argues that a poet does not simply describe a deep well; the poet becomes the depth of the well. gaston bachelard water and dreams pdf
It asks us to slow down and consider the "matter" of our thoughts. Why do we find the sound of rain comforting? Why does a stagnant pond feel sinister? Why is a clear spring associated with truth? As a dreamer descends from the surface, water
Bachelard categorizes water imagery into specific "complexes" that represent universal psychological patterns: Initial Thoughts on Gaston Bachelard's Water and Dreams Horizontal travel (rivers) is one thing, but vertical
In Water and Dreams , Bachelard posits that water is not merely a chemical compound ($H_2O$). In the realm of poetry and reverie, water is a being. It has a personality.