The approach to composition in Dr. Rockwood's EH 301 has been through dream analysis and the unconscious. We have approached composition in three ways: by keeping a dream diary, reading essays from three books, and writing eight papers on different aspects of the unconscious. By looking at writing in this way, the emphasis was shifted to content rather than form.
A paper on a given topic should be interesting to the writer, as well as to the reader. When the writer uses his unconscious mind as the source for a paper, the writing can be not only interesting, but fascinating. The unconscious is the source of creativity, that part of nature where truth lies and where new insights are hidden. For the person who has never delved into the unconscious, the quickest and the easiest way to begin communicating with it is through dreams. Dreams are actually mappngs of the psyche, and show the person in a compressed statement the relationships that exist there. The function of a dream is to establish a personal relationship with the unconscious. A great distinction beteen the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind is that the unconscious has an honest integrity about it that the conscious part does not. It may not always coincide with the person's outward morality, but it is honest. The conscious mind can rationalize and twist the facts to where the person may not be able to perceive the truth no matter what.
The main problem for ae person just beginning to explore the unconscious and dreams is that because a dream possesses very vivid and concrete imagery that expressses deep, often profound, symbolic meaning, the person may not be able to interpret the imagery adequately. The dreamer must learn constantly to ask questions of these symbols and images. A very interesting aspect of an individual's symbols is that each may have a universal meaning. The dreamer may not be the only person who has experienced a particular dream image because at its deepest levels the unconscious is not person, but collective or transpersonal. The collective unconscious is like a group soul. Because the unconscious is a part of nature, which is eternal, the symbols that it produces have an eternal quality also.
The purpose of dealing with dreams in this course is to gain insight and depth into the unconscious. By once learning how to tap the unconscious, a person may use it again and again in many other areas to gain insights and to let his creativity flow.
By emphasizing the unconscious, there is always a tendency for the careless student to neglect the conscious part of the mind. But as Dr. Rockwood has repeatedly pointed out, the conscious mind is as important as the unconscious, for the two bear a compensatory relationship toward each other. Only the conscious, rational part of the mind can understand patterns, interpret, and consequently dispel the mystery of the various levels of meaning in a dream, and, therefore, the conscious mind is as indispensable to the person as the unconscious. As a matter of fact, a person's mental functioning breaks down and becomes increasingly less adequate whenever either one attempts to operate to the exclusion of the other.
The purpose of keeping a dream diary has two functions. The obvious one is to have enough fascinating material on hand to write a good paper. The other function, which is even more important, is to be able to see a pattern or general arrangement in the contents of the unconscious. While keeping a record over a period of months or years, one will soon be able to follow one's own personal unconscious pattern of growth, and, vey interestingly, be able to see its relation to the ongoing conscious life. This is a "slow, imperceptible process of psychic growth—the process of individuation" (Man and His Symbols, ed. Jung, p. 161). As one becomes more and more aware of inner growth, one will notice an expansion of consciousness and a more mature and integrated personality will begin to emerge. Thus, by joining more of the unconscious to the conscious part of the mind, one will become a more fully functioning person. Composition is a good area to begin this work, because in composing essays one will see dramatic and immediate results. These essays will be interesting to all who read them because the work becomes the result of having stirred the source of thewriter's own and, for that matter, all human creativity. Such writing communicates to the reader a sense of discovery, and this, as Dr. Rockwood has emphasized, is one of the chief hallmarks of good writing.
This unusual approach to composition respects one's ability to achieve and value one's potential creativity. Through this the person grows in self-confidence and self-esteem as a writer, and this will most definitely flow into other areas of life. The aim of this couse has been to help the individual learn to communicate with the unconscious, and to learn to trust the unconscious so it will communicate with consciousness. Only by joining the unconscious and the conscious will a person gain the power to do anything dynamic and creative. It is the teacher's job to show the aspiring writer the ways to communicate with the unconscious and to help the writer realize potential abilities.
I intend to use this method in my teaching of junior high students. It is the most positive approach I have ever experienced and I believe any age group will profit from it. Through dreams, the person can realize that there is something very interesting and valuable in everyone and is yet distinct in its own way. This is the basis of personal worth and integrity. What one has to say becomes important to oneself and to others. This direct and positive approach to something that in the past has been a dreaded and very boring task will shed light not only on writing but on each person who experiences it. Dr. Rockwood's EH 301 is a course not only in composition, but also a course in personal growth and accomplishment.
© Copyright 2002 by Robert J. R. Rockwood. All rights reserved.