From: jks2x@holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU (Jason K. 'TGaPC' Schechner)
Subject: Re: Not new fan, new Sandman theory.
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 02:45:40 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.215158.1@vax1.tcd.ie> njhand@vax1.tcd.ie writes:
 
>   On the subject of "Who is Sandman?", yeah, I'm with mythical entity
>guy (did you think I was going to check your name again just to give 

	I'll save you the trouble - it was my post.  And thank you for
the compliment.

>you an ego massage ? gimme a break). The sandman/Mr. Sandman, also
>known as the dream man, (different song "The dream man is coming in his
>train of cars...") is the guy sprinkles sand in the corner of kids eyes
>to make them go to sleep (I'm more of a chloral hydrate kind of guy
>myself, but I guess its a matter of personal preference). The sand part
>of the myth refers to the gritty "sleep" in the corners of your eyes 
>when you wake up. The wish-granting part is news to me, though.
>
>   What does "Enter Sandman" mean? Hypothetical cot-death version? Hmm,
>
>THE THEORY; "Enter Sandman" is about the way that parents pass on
>myths/fairytales/whatever which scare the living shit out of their 
>kids, and which (they forget) used to scare the shit out of them when 
>they were kids themselves (guess its going to be sort of an endless
>cycle in which every generation gets traumatised by the preceding 
>one - I'm all for it myself). So the song is from the perspective 
>of a terrified kid about to be left alone (apart from the bogeyman 
>and the monster-under-the-bed) to go to sleep. Notice the way the 
>traditional kiddies' bedtime prayer takes on a more sinister 
>slant. Kids aren't stupid, they (usually) realise that this stuff
>isn't real, but the point is that it STILL scares the shit out them

	I'd like to add some more to this theory:  I think that the
song is also about overburdening kids and forcing them to grow up to
fast.  James says "Dreams of war, dreams of liars...." meaning that
kids know full well about wars going on in the world and we make them
worry about the mas muc has we do.  Not only wars, but bullshit
politicians and political issues.  Witness the 6 and 8 year old kids
brought by their parents to abortion rallies.  These kids shouldn't
have to deal with such major moral issues as abortion when they'ree
that young.  
	Kids in general aren't mature enough to handle the things that
are forced on them, which cause them to "sleep with one eye open,
gripping your pillow tight".  Then their parents tell them that they'll
be there to protect them "tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from
sin" no matter what, which totally confuses the kid.  And when they
ask questions to relieve the confusion they're told not to worry about
it "hush little baby, don't say a word, and nevermind that noise you
heard".  That last line could also apply to the 'boogey man' that the
last poster refered to.

>(I guess reality/fantasy boundaries aren't as clear when you still 
>believe in Santa Claus) and maybe we should (try to) remember that.
>But then we could a lot of fun with the "Floating Head of Death",

	Great comic - that's one of my favorites.

>hmmmm... read up Gary Larson if you don't know what I'm talking about.
>As Steven King put it "I knew the monster under my bed wasn't real,
>but I also knew that if I didn't dangle my ankle over the edge of
>the bed it wouldn't be able to bite it".
>Anyway she said it far more convincingly and eloquently than I did
>(but of course I would never admit that, especially not to a newbie).

>
> Sleep well kidz,
>
>	Nick.
>
 [Silly joke deleted]
-
-Jason

-- 
"Down here on the planet Earth 
They steal your back and leave the shirt.
Pay you a penny and call it a dime and then   -Jason and
Give you a watch when you run out of time."   -the Scorchers