Somniloquy, also known as sleep-talking, can vary depending on the person at rest. Sometimes it consists of mumbling, incoherent sentences—but in Tom’s case, it includes literary analysis accompanied by bleeding from his eyes (“Sleep Some”) . Tom’s parasomnia is only one example of the peculiar situations found in The Truth podcasts. Each episode is based a short story akin to The Twilight Zone: the tales are dark and suspenseful, survey unusual circumstances, and incorporate thought-provoking conclusions for its audience.
The Sleep Some More episode divulges the story of a young man, Dan, recounting his college freshman year with his roommate, Tom. Dan and Tom could not be more different—Dan is taciturn and academically-focused, while Tom …show more content…
The incorporation of Macbeth, Dr. Faustus, Frankenstein, Crime and Punishment, and The Picture of Dorian Gray are no coincidence. The subjects of Dan’s essays are not only classics, but establish the motif of journeys to power, success, and ambition. One of the more prominent works, Macbeth, directly relates to Dan’s itinerary to becoming Secretary of Commerce. Every stepping stone, whether it be receiving an “A” in his English class, or reluctantly attending an MBA program, serves as a methodical checkpoint towards his dream career (“Sleep Some”). Similar to Dan’s quest, Macbeth’s climb for his throne includes a lack of empathy as he plans to rule Scotland. Macbeth insures a clear path to his goal by way of killing potential heirs just as Dan self-righteously exploits Tom’s sleep-talking despite the escalation of Tom’s poor health. Consideration for Tom is non-existent as Dan focuses on only preparing his essay to perform well in his class. Even the present day Dan, the podcast’s narrator, proclaims in a flat, quizzical tone, “‘but I failed to note the increasing intensity of our collaboration’s negative side effects until…….Dorian Gray [my last essay]’” (“Sleep Some”). By the time Dan is required to complete his Dorian Gray essay , Tom has experienced not only bleeding from his eyes, but also from his mouth, as well as throwing up and convulsions. Dan barely acknowledges these symptoms and simply engages “Sleeping Tom” in more discussion for the benefit of his current
The Sleep Some More episode divulges the story of a young man, Dan, recounting his college freshman year with his roommate, Tom. Dan and Tom could not be more different—Dan is taciturn and academically-focused, while Tom …show more content…
The incorporation of Macbeth, Dr. Faustus, Frankenstein, Crime and Punishment, and The Picture of Dorian Gray are no coincidence. The subjects of Dan’s essays are not only classics, but establish the motif of journeys to power, success, and ambition. One of the more prominent works, Macbeth, directly relates to Dan’s itinerary to becoming Secretary of Commerce. Every stepping stone, whether it be receiving an “A” in his English class, or reluctantly attending an MBA program, serves as a methodical checkpoint towards his dream career (“Sleep Some”). Similar to Dan’s quest, Macbeth’s climb for his throne includes a lack of empathy as he plans to rule Scotland. Macbeth insures a clear path to his goal by way of killing potential heirs just as Dan self-righteously exploits Tom’s sleep-talking despite the escalation of Tom’s poor health. Consideration for Tom is non-existent as Dan focuses on only preparing his essay to perform well in his class. Even the present day Dan, the podcast’s narrator, proclaims in a flat, quizzical tone, “‘but I failed to note the increasing intensity of our collaboration’s negative side effects until…….Dorian Gray [my last essay]’” (“Sleep Some”). By the time Dan is required to complete his Dorian Gray essay , Tom has experienced not only bleeding from his eyes, but also from his mouth, as well as throwing up and convulsions. Dan barely acknowledges these symptoms and simply engages “Sleeping Tom” in more discussion for the benefit of his current