So who wins?

Dreams, both metaphorical and literal, are presented in this image through the use of displaced code. The astronaut in the elderly man’s dreams represents his ambitions when he was younger. The irony lies in the fact that although in his dreams he is exploring the limitless cosmos, in reality he is restrained and restricted by the fragility of his physical condition. This is suggsted by the fetal and hunched position that he is in, which connotes a sense of helplessness in his predicament, similar to the infant. Therefore, the juxtaposition of his literal dream against his metaphorical dream creates a deep sense of regret: in reality he can no longer achieve what he had set out to accomplish when he was younger.

The monochromatic-tone of reality set against the bluish skies of his dreams reflects a sense of happiness that can only be felt when he is dreaming in his sleep. This adds on to the sense of regret the elderly man feels and spurs on the audience to follow their dreams (as cliché as it sounds) before it is too late.