12016-12-06T18:06:29-08:00Elizabeth Withers4c83cfe2d791828249eb6cc21e5e14580fecf72e130082plain2016-12-14T16:08:00-08:00Elizabeth Withers4c83cfe2d791828249eb6cc21e5e14580fecf72eThe opening credits and the content of the dream can be explained by the daily residue of this episode. Flanders has performed in a play, which sets the entire plot into motion. This influences the dream by giving it the appearance of a performance. Flanders is dreaming of the consequences of letting his new wife, Edna, make decisions about his sons' education-- a decision he made earlier in the episode. Flanders explains himself that the talking dog represents the devil. It also can be interpreted as a displacement of Flanders' repressed desires for dominance in his relationship and aspects of his repressed sexuality. These desires are manifested in the form of a dog, a trained animal, showing that Flanders is attempting to gain control over his animal nature. The dog asks if Flanders is glad that he's allowed Edna to make all the decisions, representing that the dog is controlled by Edna. Thus, Flanders feels that Edna is controlling his decisions by appealing to his baser instincts. This is an anxiety dream, in which his son takes part in unholy activities as a result of Edna's decisions. These activities are depicted symbolically; all are general representations of a liberal ideology. Flanders is torn between a desire to please Edna and a desire to make decisions about what is best for his family, and this dream justifies his feelings of resent towards Edna and his guilt for allowing her to make decisions. conclusions