In Jonathan Safran Foer’s book "Everything Is Illuminated," the author explores deep themes of existence and memory through the lens of dreams. He ponders what infants might envision in their dreams, suggesting that they are connected to a time before their birth, evoking a sense of nostalgia and unfinished stories. This connection emphasizes the continuity of life and the idea that our dreams may be reflections of experiences that precede or follow our conscious understanding.
The quote also hints at the universality of dreaming as it relates to the longing for understanding our origins and destinations. Just as the baby dreams of what came before, the narrator reflects on what lies beyond life, contemplating the afterlife. This duality presents a profound inquiry into how we identify with the past and anticipate the future, uniting different stages of existence through the shared human experience of dreaming.