In Dreams Begin Responsibilities

In “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities” by Delmore Schwartz, themes of success, love,
and fear are evident. He presents these themes through the father, mother, and a symbol of
the shining light. Schwartz is keen to tell that most people are dishonest with others showing
the fear of accepting the warm reality to cause the disparities between the actuality and
dreams.
The narrator starts by describing his father as a successful person who holds a high
position in society, and one intends to impress those close to him. In the narrator’s view, his
dressing was elegant and impressing to his mother’s family. “His clothes are newly pressed,
and his tie too tight in his collar.” Unfortunately, the father did not marry his mother with a
solo intention of forming a family but he wanted to be associated with the success. “My
father thinks of my mother, of how nice it will be to introduce her to his family.” His father
cared a lot about money and prosperous life so that he had a better social position. “My father
tells my mother how much money he has made in the past week.” The attitude for a better
tomorrow was motivated and always looked forward to a better week.
Through the mother, we find that love between two people could result in a lot of
expectations due to the changes that occur along the way. “According to her principles of
economy and housewifeliness.” Following the proposal, his mother was excited and cried out
of excitement. “It is all I’ve waited from the moment I saw you.” His mother is happy that her
husband is ambitious in giving his family a comfortable life, but this was unsatisfying. Some
of the actions intended to “avoid the riotous amusements being beneath the dignity of such a

dignified couple.” However, in his view, the narrator, a marriage based on love for money,
cannot have anything good come out of it even when the mother seems to protect it from
falling.
The shining light illustrates the bright future of their son amid the difficulties he faced
with his parents’ situation and the fear of starting his own family. “Into the cold light, I woke
up.” In the child’s point of view, the light gives a chance and hope to people refuting the past
to gain acceptance and have a comprehensive look at what is real. “The placed shadowed in
the mauve light.” Both his mother and father know that they are intolerable together, but they
cannot bear with this truth because it would result in inconveniences on the path they chose.
“And finally, shocked by their indifference.” Therefore, it will be only possible for the son to
understand and learn from his parents so that he builds his marriage amid the events of fear.
In “In Dream Begin Responsibilities,” the father and son and the mother and son
know that commitment in marriage should be built upon love. He believes that most people in
society are living with false hopes and desires that define their life and those close to them.
The father, mother, and symbol of light demonstrate how different perspectives of marriage
could affect its functionality. However, although marriage could be difficult, it is always
important that parents consider the impact their relationship could have on their children.