Dreamland

Content Warning: This section discusses physical abuse by a family member and physical abuse by a partner.

Sarah Dessen portrays the full cycle of an abusive relationship between two teenagers in Dreamland, starting with the factors that might cause dating violence and concluding with a positive resolution. Through this first-person narrative, Dessen illustrates the traumatic impact of violence in a romantic relationship. Much of the novel focuses on the build-up toward the first incidence of physical violence, which reflects an intentional choice on Dessen’s part to show the entire cycle of abuse, not just the physical harm.

The causes of dating violence are varied, and Dessen shows how Rogerson is a victim of abuse in his own home to illustrate this preceding factor why he perpetrates abuse against Caitlin. Many of Rogerson’s behaviors early on fit with his pattern of experiencing abuse and then externalizing that shame and anger toward Caitlin. For example, not long after meeting Caitlin, Rogerson tells her that he “knew [she] was trouble […] just by looking at [her]” (57). Up to this point, Caitlin is portrayed as anything but trouble, so Rogerson is manipulative, mirroring the way he is treated in his own home. When Caitlin sees Rogerson’s father physically abuse him, she feels that she can “cover the hurt” (86) he experienced, and that it cements their relationship. Instead of becoming vulnerable with Caitlin, Rogerson uses his painful experiences to condition her into both accepting violence and taking responsibility for it. Rogerson is characterized as hiding his anger except when people are “late or not where they said they’d be” (112), serving as a direct mirror of his father, who is reactive about the same things. Dessen characterizes Rogerson’s internalization subtly, revealing the complex ways that people develop abusive patterns as the result of their own traumatic experiences.

Primarily, though, Dreamland is a story about how verbal and physical abuse impacts Caitlin. As Rogerson’s manipulative behavior shapes their relationship, she begins to develop a hypervigilance about what he will think or feel. She describes how she always “giv[es] in, regardless of the issue” (111) and talks about the “small simmering of temper” (112) that he has if someone is late. Her consistent efforts to try to know Rogerson so well that she can anticipate his every move indicate an abusive relationship. Dessen also portrays the cycle of abuse through Caitlin’s eyes. For example, the first time that Rogerson hits Caitlin, she has a dissociative reaction, crying and trying to “think of someplace safe” (144). Shortly after, he kisses her “very tenderly” (145). By treating her with his view of an apology, Rogerson resets the cycle into a waiting period where, over time, Caitlin’s anxiety builds about the next incident of violence. Eventually, Caitlin is desensitized to the physical abuse, and she psychologically builds an analogy to cope: She uses the metaphor of a football “game” (197) to help her process what is happening to her. Later, Caitlin is confused about how she “could […] miss him” (233). This is a result of Rogerson’s manipulations and conditioning of Caitlin before any physical violence occurred. Further, the shame she experiences throughout the abuse limits her from seeing her own worth. Through Caitlin’s experiences, Dessen portrays the complex ways that people can experience abuse and shows the emotional ramifications of dating violence.