Freud's Theory on the Two Parts of Dreams

Dreams have two parts: the latent dream-content and the manifest dream-content. The latent dream-content is the original content of the dream, before it is transformed into the manifest dream-content. The manifest dream-content is the dream that we actually experience. There are four factors that influence the transformation of the latent dream-content into the manifest dream-content:

condensation
Condensation occurs when multiple dream thoughts are condensed into a single image or symbol in the dream that we actually experience.
displacement
Occurs when the emotional significance of a dream thought is transferred to another dream thought or image in the manifest dream
figuration
The proces
s of giving concrete form to dream thoughts
secondary revision
The process of making the manifest dream more logical and coherent.

Dream interpretation is the process of understanding the latent dream content by identifying the dream thoughts that have been transformed into the manifest dream content,

Dreams have two types of content:

dream thoughts

The core of the dream is made up of thoughts, memories, and feelings.

connecting paths

links between the dream thoughts which can be logical or illogical, and they can also be conscious or unconscious

Dream censorship distorts dreams and is a part of the mind that tries to keep unacceptable thoughts and feelings from becoming conscious. This dream censorship cannot completely erase the dream thoughts or the core of the dream. This can make them difficult to understand. Because of this process dream interpretation is a valuable tool for understanding the unconscious mind. The following is an example of dream censorship in the process:

Laura has a dream about killing her boss. Dream censorship may distort the dream by making the boss into an animal or someone that Laura does not know. The dream censorship might also make the killing of her boss an accident or a circumstance where the murder is justified, such as in self-defense.

Laura's dream censorship could not prevent the core of the dream which was killing her boss; however, it was able to distort the core and disguise it so as to hinder its transformation from the unconscious to the conscious.

Dreams are often illogical and incoherent because of the part of the mind that tries to censor unacceptable thoughts and feelings.

Freud believed that dream interpretation could explain dreams so that they would make sense by identifying the underlying dream thoughts which is the original dream before it is affected by dream censorship.

Here is an example of how dream interpretation can restore the coherence of a dream:

Laura dreams that she is being chased by a monster. The monster represents Laura's fear of her boss. Dream interpretation can help Laura to understand that the dream is really about her fear of her boss and then the dream makes more sense.