Requiem for a Dream: A Novel

Hubert Selby Jr. (1928-2004) was known for his gritty, visceral depiction of working-class life in New York City. Selby Jr.’s early life was marked by hardship and health problems. He dropped out of school as a teenager and later joined the Merchant Marines, during which time he contracted tuberculosis, culminating in him losing a lung and being bed-ridden for a decade of his life. With nothing else to do during this time, and with no formal training, he took up writing. Selby Jr.’s writing is known for its transgressive themes and use of stream of consciousness, disregarding formal literary style. His first book, Last Exit to Brooklyn, was a controversial hit, sparking obscenity trials and critical acclaim alike with its frank depictions of queer characters, drug use, violence, and rape—themes that are immediately recognizable in Requiem for a Dream. Selby Jr. uses the literary technique of deep point of view (POV) in the novel to remove the distance between the characters, the narration, and the reader. Deep POV provides a greater intimacy between the reader and the text, allowing direct access to characters’ thoughts, in their own words.