The use of wild, exotic cats in The Dream is the artist’s way to show his desire to be set apart from the artists of his past, and the artists of his time, though he did mimic many academic and avant-garde techniques in gaining his recognition. Ultimately, however, it can easily be argued that the cats here reflect “Rousseau’s determination to be seen as a painter of significance… [His] jungle cats, governed solely by nature and instinct, are avatars of Rousseau’s aspiration” (“Sublime and Feral”).
In the grass of The Dream there is a cylindrical orange steak that appears to be a snake or serpent creature. It is barely indistinguishable as such when viewing the painting because it is so hidden, yet its slithering nature implies that it is supposed to be a snake. If one studies an earlier work by Rousseau, The Snake Charmer, in comparison with The Dream, the handling and technique of these animals is similar. 
Sections of the painting are visibly overworked (Cooper 160), suggesting that he sought the perfection worthy of having his work displayed in a gallery. At the same time, however, this also reminds the audience that Rousseau failed in his quest for ultimate technical prowess due to a lack of formal training. While his internal struggle compelled him to keep reworking sections of The Dream, he ultimately failed 
Regardless of one’s opinion on Rousseau as an artist or the quality of his work, then or present-day, one thing is clear: “The Dream has the absolute sincerity of an art which is the constant creation and enterprise of a man’s whole being – a man passionately devoted to his art, finding in painting a refuge from the drab mediocrity of his pitiful existence and a means of satisfying his dreams…” (Dorival 18).

Design is perhaps one of the most powerful tools of persuasion and expression in today’s world: through use of the written word, vivid imagery, composition and style, design is able to move audiences of all demographics in various ways. From its earliest forms as instructions on cave walls to religious books, design has sought to be the elegant solution to communication breakdowns. Because of its inherent abilities to affect its audience, it is thus logical that the website designs of today and the future will utilize certain elements of previous forms of design to be as successful as possible.
Its success, however, is dependant highly on the variable of profit. If a website’s purpose is to generate revenue, then the site will be highly dynamic and personalized. Conversely, if attracting consumers to make money is not the site’s primary function, then a radically different approach will be taken, a minimalistic style that will attract users with its simplicity and ease of use. In other words, form follows function.
This fork in the road of design towards two very different end results is growing more apparent each day and is most certainly not an overnight phenomenon. 