In "Speak, Memory," Vladimir Nabokov reflects on the complexities of sleep, describing it as a foolish and burdensome process. He perceives sleep as a fraternity that demands significant sacrifice while subjecting individuals to perplexing rites, making it feel like a form of mental torment. Nabokov is critical of how sleep betrays the rational mind, reducing human potential and creativity to a state of inactivity.

Through his vivid portrayal, he expresses deep disdain for the nightly inevitability of sleep, viewing it as a regression from reason and the abilities that define humanity and intellectual brilliance. This stark criticism underscores his struggle to reconcile the necessity of sleep with its perceived absurdity and the loss of vitality it brings.