No Dream the Impossible Dream for this guy. Dreaming, hoping, and planning is basically the opposite of living in the spectacular now, and Sutter wants to part of it. Sure, he kinda-sorta agrees to pursue Aimee's dream, but we never quite believe him. Here's the thing, though: Sutter does have one, shining, sparkling dream: the dream of his dad being a great guy, someone he could imitate and emulate. Once that dream is shattered, Sutter gives up. In The Spectacular Now, a dream is only one step away from a nightmare.
Questions About Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
- When did Sutter give up on his dreams? Did he ever have any dreams that didn't involve superheroes?
- What are the dreams of other people in the book? Do we see Sutter's high-school peers achieving or pursuing their dreams? Does his sister realizer her dream?
- Why are dreams so important to Aimee? Do you think she's going to realize her dream?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Sutter is right not to dream. Dreaming too much keeps you from living.
Aimee is lucky that Sutter broke up with her; he would just have kept her from achieving her dreams.