Fever Dream Themes

Environmental Destruction

Fever Dream is a surrealist horror novel in which all of the horror is manmade. The novel takes place in rural Argentina where a woman named Amanda and her young daughter Nina have decided to vacation. There, they meet a neighbor named Carla, who tells them a series of strange tales about her son David. Although Carla’s stories are frightening and often position David as a dangerous and possibly supernatural figure, they all…

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Children and Safety

Amanda is a paranoid mother who wants to do whatever she can to keep her daughter Nina safe. For example, Amanda develops the concept of “rescue distance,” which is the amount of time it would take her to reach Nina at any given point. Amanda imagines that a rope binds her and Nina together, and whenever Nina runs into danger, Amanda feels the rope go taut. Although the rope is largely a metaphor, Amanda describes…

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Parents and Children

Fever Dream follows two notable relationships between mothers and their children. First, there is the relationship between Amanda and Nina. Amanda is a doting mother who will do anything to keep Nina safe. Even if Amanda is paranoid about Nina’s safety, they have a loving relationship and Nina is a normal and healthy child prior to her exposure to Sotomayor’s pesticides. In sharp contrast, there is also Carla’s relationship with her son…

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Urban vs. Rural Life

In Fever Dream, the contrast between urban and rural life often appears as Amanda and Carla discuss their differing experiences. The novel is set in rural Argentina, where Amanda and her daughter Nina have come for a vacation. This rural backdrop stands in stark contrast to Buenos Aires, where they normally live. Rural life is depicted as both idyllic and perilous. On the one hand, the countryside offers a sense of peace and escape…

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