The plot and concept behind my first novel "I Dreamt of Cats"

As you may or may not know, this is my very first novel. I’m both terrified and excited to be writing it. I’ve posted the first chapter online for your reading pleasure, however, I felt that I should also post a plot summary along with the philosophical concepts the novel incorporates. So, if you did not want to spoil the ending for yourself read NO FURTHER!

            First, I’ll start off by briefly explaining the main ideas I am trying to incorporate, which are a reflection of both the Ancient Greek concept of “Eros (Love) and my own moral values. Upon hearing the word “love” many people solely think of marital love, however love is much more then that. Not only is there “marital love” but the Greeks believed in Eros paidikos (homosexuality between men) as well as platonic Eros. I do not touch the concept of Eros paidikos, only platonic and marital love. In his work Symposium, Plato defines Eros. He believed and expressed these ideologies through the dialogue of several characters in his story summarizing the points; that love was both the inspiration of honor and self- sacrifice, there was both physical and intellectual love and lastly love was a longing to regain lost happiness. Based on these beliefs, he argues; that love desires its object because it does not have it and once it has obtained it it does not wish to let go, love is a conscious need for both good and beauty that has not been acquired or is not currently in possession.

            Lastly, Plato incorporates his arguments with the beliefs of Socrates coming to the conclusion that; Eros is neither beautiful nor ugly and good nor evil, rather Eros is an intermediate state, a balance and therefore a link between all things. Secondly, Eros is a lover of wisdom because wisdom is beautiful, as he is a lover of good. These facts composed the idea that Eros is procreation: physical, spiritual and philosophical (wisdom).

            Using these ideologies I extended them and molded them with my own beliefs in order to create the philosophical concepts incorporated in “I Dreamt of Cats” Since love is the pursuit of beauty and good, it is the pursuit of happiness. Upon obtaining every aspect of Eros one will be liberated and “happy”.  Now after all of this rambling, its time to connect this to my novel.

            The structure of my novel is composed of first person narrative journal entries by the main character Harry. The first chapter opens with a poem about him regretting the fact that he had decided to forget a dream he had. In the dream he was lead by a group of cats through a city where he underwent many strange, random experiences which all taught him concepts and lead to a conclusion of which he cannot remember- however, what he does remember is a vague plot and the fact that this dream was trying to teach him something absolutely essential to him finding happiness in life. The last part of the chapter explains this further. Harry lost the love of his life due to ignorance (lack of wisdom and understanding or Eros).  She promised that they would be reunited after he had both found out who he was and what he wanted and what life was and presented one with.

            The second part of the chapter however, is forward in time from that of the third part and before we learn of why he must remember the dream we enter the first fragment of his recollection of the dream. He sees a woman who tells him her life- story. It is filled with over-whelming sadness, however, in the end she is still able to see that of which is beautiful in life- introducing readers to the concept of life being composed of both good and bad, how we see life is a reflection of which we decide to see more strongly during our encounters. At the end of this part of the chapter we learn why Harry was reluctant to remember the dream, he is afraid of doing so because he will learn that not only is life filled with many sorrows, but it is an individuals responsibility to guide themselves through life. The anxiety of independence overwhelms him. This is later established more strongly in the last part of the chapter when he feels that he needs the love of his life to help guide him through all of this. Rather then confront the reality of life; he would rather live in the dark, be someone he is not.

            The second chapter is then composed of his next fragment of recollection of the dream where he encounters two groups of children. The first group enhance what he learned from the first chapter- life is what we make it. Several children reveal to him what they will face in life, however, despite each of their fates ending badly, they still think they will have an incredible life worth living. The second group of children Harry encounters however is on the verge of suicide and he finds that he must use his newfound knowledge to convince them that life is worth living.

            The third chapter is like the first one; it does not follow a logical sequence of time. Instead, it opens with Harry telling us that he has just arrived in South Africa and he feels happiness from his newfound freedom. However, that part of the chapter ends with him feeling anxiety when the road in which he is walking splits into three separate paths. The next part of the chapter explains how he got to South Africa. One day he woke up and realized that he could not live his life in the way he was living it anymore, and so he quit his job and decided that he would pursue the longing of his soul. He decides that if he listens to it, he will eventually figure out who he is, and once he has figured that out he will know where he wants to go in life and hopefully this will reunite him with his love.

            The fourth chapter consists of his search of a means for self-expression while in South Africa. A friend comes across some of Harry’s writing and urges him to write a book. However, he argues that he does not know what he would write, that he is not ready to be a writer though he is very passionate about becoming one. His friend then explains that if it’s a deep longing, then it’s a component of his essence and therefore he has always been ready, it was just a matter of understanding himself to figure out what he would write, and believing that he could write (embracing who that found self is).

            The fifth chapter starts with a chance encounter of a reunion with his love in South Africa. After a passionate night, his love is beaming, thinking that they can finally be together again. However, he feels that he is not quite ready yet- he has come to realize that he is undergoing all of this not only to get her back, but he needs to do so for himself as well. While he once only felt a love for Anne, he soon begins to learn to love himself as well. So, he reassures her that they will finally be permanently reunited very shortly.

            The sixth chapter’s first parts are Harry’s realizations that he has martial love, self love, yet- he lacks platonic love. In his attempts to reunite with his love for all of these years he has lost contact with his only remaining relative his father as well as all of his friends. So, we finally enter another period of the dreams recollection. In this part, the cats lead Harry to a dumpster where people threw out aspects of themselves that they did not wish to accept. He understands that he needs to reunite with that of which he has thrown away- platonic love. The last part of the sixth chapter consists of him calling his father after many years. His father is overcome with happiness to hear from him, however he has terrible news, he is about to die from cancer. He asks his son to come to the place where he has chosen to die, Madrid, to live their last few days together.

            In the seventh chapter, Harry explores the city of Madrid with his father, getting to know him all over again. He asks him how they lost contact for so long and his dad tells him that after he met his love, everything changed- there wasn’t room in his heart for anyone else. The second half of the chapter is composed of his father’s death. Upon his passing he asks his son to spread his ashes on Mount Parnassins in Greece because it is a representation of all things his father held dear; poetry, music and learning. His father tells his son that these three things made him a happy man and are the reason why he is dying with a smile on his face.

            In the eighth chapter Harry contacts an old friend, not wanting to spread his father’s ashes alone. He shows up at his friends house and his old companion accepts Harry’s request upon seeing how essential it is to him and the journey that he is on, his friend also wishes to embark on the same journey himself. His friend was once a poet and an artist, but forgot those passions with the passing of time. He is worried that he will never be able to create beauty again and Harry tells him that he won’t forget because he never forgot to begin with- that an artist is who he is and who he was meant to become and the time has finally come to embrace who he is- to take off his mask and feel the soothing cool air of the wind upon his face.

            In the next chapter they arrive in Greece and Harry reveals to his friend that he has almost finished his first novel. His friend asks how much he has left and he admits “just the ending”, however he is unsure of how to end it. The second part of the chapter is composed of the final recollection of the dream. Harry is brought to the ocean at night and observes how some of the sea creatures swim to the water’s surface, believing that they can reach the light of moon, while others have given up on reaching it and instead chose to rest on the dreary bottom of the sea. Harry comes to realize that in life we can either passionately pursue the light no matter how far it may seem or we can give up and live in the dark. This decision defines not only how we will sail through the seas of life, but how our life will end as well.

            Chapter ten is the two friends climbing of the mountain to spread his father’s ash. When he finally reaches the top, Harry realizes for the first time how truly beautiful the world is as he gazes the endless horizon before him. He tells his friend that he has finally decided on how to end his book- he says that he wants it to be a reflection of how he himself hopes his life will end, having fulfilled all of his dreams. He wants the book to be a symbol of hope for others, for them to see that despite all of the anxieties that come with following the exhausting path of our dreams, this path will bring more beauty to ones life then any other because they will hear the song of their soul, they will feel every type of love that the world has to offer, see all of which is beautiful, and lastly they will understand the definition of life. When they have descended the mountain, the two realize that they do not know where they will go from there, all they know is that they can never go back to their old lives.

            The second to last chapter begins with a discussion between the two. His friend realizes that they always speak of following their dreams, however, he asks what their dreams are exactly. Harry answers “To become who I am and to create art with my soul.” His friend realizes that his dream is to capture the essence of the world beauty and Harry decides that he wants to teach the world what he has learned, he also still wants his lost love back. He says that now that he has finished his book the time has come for him to find her. His friend points out that he is not in contact with her and therefore doing so would be impossible. Harry tells him that they have never needed words; they can speak just as strongly through the beats of their heart. Their souls were meant to be together and upon listening to the road in which they longed to follow they would eventually be led, their paths would eventually cross. He is certain that he knows where to find her.

            In the final chapter, the friends part. Harry’s friend reveals that he will first go to the Castilian springs there in Greece because they were a symbol for the art of poetry. Then, he will go to Indian to paint lotus flowers. Harry explains that he will go to the city of Eros “Thespiae in Boeotia in Greece, the city of love to look for her. Harry goes to the city of love and there finds her there. They embrace and he tells her that he is sorry it took him so long, but it they couldn’t have been together any other way. He had to know himself first and love that that was in order for her to have something to love in him. The love they had before held them back from full happiness because it clouded their minds from the beauty of all of the other types of love life had to offer. However, now that all aspects of Eros have been found they are each a whole being and can love one another in the ultimate state of bliss. 

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Great plot set-up for the story. You have a lot of work. I believe the story could be very good. I look forward to reading.
Coyote