This dream is common to the middle childhood and preteen years. In the dream there is a repetitive task that needs to be performed usually at the command of monsters. The task is usually something gruesome or sinister, like digging graves or sorting body parts. The dreamer is horrified by the task but numbed by the repletion and tedium, and in the dream more likely to be upset about the workload than the actual nature of the task. This dream often reflects the stress of young children who feel they must achieve and meet standards imposed upon them. The unconscious is reminding them that the casualties of a task-orientated approach to life may be other desires, interests and feelings. Although many dreams during this stage of life reflect the joy of achievement and the desire for recognition, this dream represents the tension associated with high achievement.
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