White Nights

The dreamer is the narrator’s self-chosen identity and a key motif throughout “White Nights.” He calls himself “a type,” “an absurd person,” and “not a human being, but a creature of an intermediate sort” (23), signaling his detachment from real life. His retreat into fantasy reflects both his vulnerability and his desire to protect himself from rejection, risk, and change.

This motif also captures the tension between imagination and experience. The narrator constructs detailed romantic visions that feel more vivid than his actual life. But when Nastenka momentarily seems to return his feelings, he falters—unprepared for real intimacy. Even his joy turns quickly back to fantasy: “a whole moment of happiness” becomes something to treasure once it’s safely in the past (91).

By the end, the archetype of the dreamer represents both emotional depth and paralysis. His inner world is rich, but his life remains solitary. Dostoyevsky leaves open whether dreaming is a refuge, a flaw, or both.

Cobwebs appear late in the story as a quiet but potent symbol of emotional and social stagnation. When Matrona tells the narrator, “I have taken all the cobwebs off the ceiling; you can have a wedding or give a party” (89), the gesture is meant to signal the potential of new beginnings—but it also highlights just how long the room has gone without life or change.