Propriety

Propriety plays a large role in the way that supernatural beings interact with one another in Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. The volume Seasons of Mist contains many examples of this concept. When Dream visits his family, he is taunted by Desire about his conduct in his affair with the mortal Nada. Death, the sibling to which Dream is the closest, and then tells Dream that his action were dishonorable and "a really shitty [sic] thing to do." Dream thus feels compelled to right the wrong, and regain his honor. Later, when the raven Matthew suggests that at least Dream will have the element of surprise on his side when he enters Hell, Dream corrects the raven: "That would not be honorable, Matthew. I have already sent a messenger to the Lord of Hell, to let him know that I will be coming. One must do these things properly...