Character Experiences Of Manipulation In The Film Inception?

I would say it varies. For those who were dreaming it was a positive experience as long as they were in control. Cobb's experience seemed to be negative because the guilt and memory of his wife kept affecting his dreams and he did not have any control over it - and those who came into his dream were affected negatively as well because of this. Ariadne was also stabbed and killed while in Cobb's dream because she was not the one in control and cobb couldn't control his own dream.