Dreams and the Non-human in A Song for Lya and Mass Effect

Dreams are sometimes used as a central narrative device in a number of literary works. In modern and contemporary science fiction as in ancient epics, dreams are useful in creating central mysteries that drive the plot forward. As far as the representation of dreams is concerned, the similarities between classical epics and modern science fiction go beyond the plot to the themes. The nature of dreams and their origins are almost the same in both genres. They are structured in a similar manner and are usually attributed to non-human entities that are either benevolent or malevolent. This article studies the relationship between dreams and the non-human in George R.R. Martin’s novella A Song for Lya (1975) and BioWare game series Mass Effect (2007-2017). In this article, I argue that in both works, dreams are portrayed as hostile non-human spaces that threaten the human mind. They subject the dreamers to intense emotional experiences caused by (evil) non-human entities that seek to dominate or destroy humanity. Although the protagonists are not the only special characters in their stories, they are the only ones who are capable of surviving the dehumanizing dreaming experience. Their ability to control and temper their emotional responses protects their humanness. This concept refers to a cultural and ideological category rather than a merely biological one. It privileges a hegemonic model of subjectivity and existence that regards emotions as dangerous and inhuman.