In Cormac McCarthy's "Cities of the Plain," the author reflects on the essence of dreams and their narratives. He suggests that it is the story within a dream that gives it life, making the specific events secondary and often replaceable. This implies that the deeper meaning and personal significance derived from the narrative are what truly matter, rather than the individual details of the dream itself.

Conversely, McCarthy points out that the events of our waking lives are imposed upon us, lacking the personal agency that dreams offer. He argues that we create narratives to connect these events, using them as a framework through which we can comprehend our experiences. This highlights a profound difference between dreams, which grant freedom in their storytelling, and reality, which requires us to weave together disparate moments into a coherent narrative.