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You may be wondering, then, how you could have a dream that seems to last for years or lifetimes. I believe this effect is achieved in dreams by the same stage trick that causes the illusion of the passage of time in the mov-ies or theater. If, on screen, stage, or dream, we see someone turning out the light as the clock strikes mid-night, and after a few moments of darkness, we see him turning off an alarm as the bright morning sun shines through the window, we’ll accept (pretend, without being aware that we are pretending) that many hours have Passed even though we “know” it was only a few seconds.