Dreamland Burning explores the concept of privilege and how different types of privilege can intersect and sometimes mitigate or exacerbate the effects of privilege or oppression. Rowan, for instance, is a mixed-race black teen from a wealthy family. She experiences financial privilege, but not racial or gender privilege. In some ways, Rowan’s financial privilege has shielded her from racialized violence and certain types of discrimination. Her family’s wealth also places her in circles with other financially privileged people, most of whom are white. This means that Rowan has grown up feeling like a racial outsider. She has a budding self-hatred that stems from feeling different. Rowan doesn’t understand racial privilege until Arvin’s funeral, when she suddenly realizes what it means to fit in.

Will has privilege because he is white-passing, but he isn’t quite white enough for Vernon and the Klan. However, his privilege as a white-passing man from a wealthy family gives Will the power to move through the riot without harm, even using his privilege to help others. The novel shows that different types of privilege are inherent in the social fabric of society and have been for centuries. However, a person with privilege has the responsibility to either forfeit that privilege when possible or use that privilege to help others.