Mirror of Reality and Dreams: Stories and Confessions by Ivan Cankar

This book deals with the works of Ivan Cankar, the greatest Slovenian writer, focusing on his relation to existential, social, and moral reality as reflected in individuals and in society at large. The method of literary analysis shows a surprising harmony between personal confessions and a rich symbolism that reveals the writer’s unconditional belief in the power of conscience, strong conviction of the sense of victims and the longing for the triumph of love and justice. A holistic interpretation yields the conclusion that most of Cankar’s works are confessions that purport to be true to life. His inclination to self-disclosure in dreams alongside the objective disclosure of imperceptible reality indicates that expressive language and a lyrical style are of vital importance to him.