Robot Dreams, by Sara Varon, is a nearly wordless book on the theme of friendship. Without words, it shows the journey a dog undergoes to find a true, consistent friend. At the same time, his robot is lost and dreaming for the same sort of friendship that guarantees he will always have someone by his side. At times, the story is heartbreaking while at other times it is exciting, humorous, and hopeful. Without words, there is a complex story open for interpretation and deep connection to the protagonists. In this blog, I plan to discuss how the two main characters come alive without any words to describe them. I am also going to share how the robot's dreams make the story deep as well as the ways in which the author makes such dreams clear to the reader. Lastly, I am going to share why this story touched me for being able to relate to such texts is so important for any reader looking to get lost in literature.
Most essential to the connections we make in this story is the development of the two main characters: the dog and the robot. Their deep desires for friendship are evident even on the cover of the novel. Every time the pair is together, they are smiling. They are also working together. For example, on page 10, the two get the oil and kernels to make a batch of popcorn for one another. Early on, however, the dog and robot get separated. The one thing that makes them happy (their friendship) is taken away when the robot is unable to move. At this point, Varon must characterize the two beyond just their need for friendship. I'll first share my impressions about the dog and next my impressions about the robot.
We learn much about the dog as we watch his progression of other friendships. At first, he is always eager and happy to make new friends and try new activities. However, none of them work out quite as well as they did with the robot. On page 95, the dog is smiling as he begins to try new activities with his new snowman friend. However, on page 131, the dog is frowning has his snowman friend has melted and he has no one to play with once again. The dog goes through a variety of relationships like this one, and each follow the same sort of pattern. We find that the little dog is persistent as well as open to new friendships. He never gives up. These qualities are easily relatable for young children, and they are qualities that are perhaps important to learn early on as well. There is always someone out there willing to be your friend. We find happiness at the end of the novel as the dog is walking off with his new friend while whistling the tune of his old friend at the same time (208). There is always room in his heart for that friendship.
The robot undergoes a much more difficult journey. He is forced to lay alone on the beach and wait and wait and wait. One very strong quality the robot possesses is the fact that he never loses hope. His dreams are very clear pictures of this. For example, on page 102, the robot has a relaxing dream with a new flower friend. He knows that at some point, someone will come find him and take him to a better place. In addition, we know he is a loyal friend because he constantly thinks about returning to the dog. On page 87, he knocks on the door of his old friend in one of his dreams in hopes that he will be there to take him back once more. This loyalty and hope sticks with him even as the robot struggles. People take his leg, throw him into the junkyard, and more, but he has a happy ending as well. After he becomes a newly made part radio/part robot, he makes new friends with his maker and sends music to his old friend the dog (pages 201, 208). His redeeming qualities prove that there is hope for everyone at the end of the journey. Beyond the robot's qualities, however, his dreams are a story in itself, and I want to touch on that next.
Varon makes the robot's dreams distinct from the present story. Picking up on that wasn't difficult, and it was exciting to get a break from the actual story to look into the poor robots mind. With the wavy lines, it was easy to tell that the pictures within were the dreams. Whenever the robot was drawn as faded into the snow, I was also able to tell that he was dreaming. His dreams of finding new friendship and returning to his friend gave the story an entirely new side. Instead of only seeing the poor robot stuck on the beach, we see into his mind. We see his dreams and aspirations. We want what the robot wants because he seems so sincere and persistent in his thoughts. It is a relief to know that both the dog and the robot miss one another. Having these key parts of the story help us to relate to how the two friends are feeling even while they are apart. The robot can only do so much, but his dreams speak as much as the dog's actions do. For that reason, the pair is still united throughout the story, and there is always hope and connection to each. Having this constant connection helped me to relate the story to my own experiences as well!
This story touched me because I can relate my elementary years of friendship so perfectly. I, like the dog, fought hard to find the right friends. With each new year in school, I found myself trying to find a group to fit in with. It is difficult sometimes because it is hard to tell early on who you can make connections with. Sometimes it was really heartbreaking for me when friendships didn't work out because I had no idea what to do next. Who would I fit in with? In the end, however, the dog finds a friend that can stick by him. I found a few of them myself, and we are still friends to this day. The robot went through the same situation. Almost every child has trouble finding the right friends early on. They might go through two different groups, or they might go through eight different groups. In the end, everyone finds their niche and place in life. This story shows that process in an exciting way. Through dreams and a variety of different friendships, we see both the dog and the robot find their way through different processes. In the end, they are both happy. It shows hope and reality for all children without so many words to preach and guide them. I truly enjoyed reading Robot Dreams!
Varon, Sara. Robot Dreams. New York: First Second, 2007. Print.
