The Sleeper Must Awaken
Although I normally avoid reviews of things on my blog as much as possible, today’s post is sort of a review on the new Dune movie. I’ll cut to the chase and say it’s definitely worth watching, but if you read the book first you’ll get so much more out of it. Luckily the movie only covers about two-thirds of the first Dune novel by Frank Herbert, so you don’t necessarily have to read the whole thing.
I read the novel at the age of 13, in anticipation of the David Lynch version of the movie (which you may remember was hyped up to a ridiculous degree, if you’re old like me). I enjoyed that movie immensely, and still do, but it’s the lessons of the book that have stuck with me over the years.
One of the big themes of the novel (and the movies) is that for many of us, our true potential for greatness sleeps inside. A mantra repeated in the novel is “the sleeper must awaken.” The awakening is rarely easy or without consequence; that’s why most of us choose to remain asleep. But, if we want to achieve greatness, the awakening is necessary.
Paul, the protagonist of Dune, is the son of a great Duke of the house Atreides of the Landsraad, and his Lady a member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. This gives him access to a number of benefits in his teaching and training; to say he is privileged would be an understatement. But you don’t have to be wealthy or noble-born to access your will and your desire to make a difference.
Sometimes you choose the ways in which you will serve the universe and its inhabitants. Sometimes the universe makes choices for you. Knowing when to resist and when to let go can be incredibly difficult, but it can be the thing that leads to a fulfilling, even if not-always-comfortable, life.
Here endeth the lesson on awakening the Sleeper.
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