But I Prefer Dreaming
"But I Prefer Dreaming" is a short story by Jorge Luis Borges that explores the nature of reality and perception. The narrator, who is blind, describes his dreams in vivid detail and reflects on how they differ from his waking life. He ultimately concludes that he prefers the world of his dreams to the real world because it allows him greater freedom and creativity.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1976 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Metafiction · 4,847 words
First lines
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, April 1980
I think I am concerned with images rather than with ideas. I am not capable of abstract thinking. Even of what the Greeks did and what the Hebrews did, I tend to think not in terms of reason but of fables and metaphors. That's my stock in trade. Of course I have to reason now and then. I do it in a very clumsy way. But I prefer dreaming.
What this Textopian page supports
But I Prefer Dreaming is listed on Textopian as an essay by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1976 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Jorge Luis Borges
- Date: 1976 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Metafiction, Fantasy, Mysticism
- Length: 4,847 words
- Structure: 1 section, 91 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for But I Prefer Dreaming by Jorge Luis Borges
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering But I Prefer Dreaming?
- How does this essay by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- When I Wake Up by Jorge Luis Borges
- It Came Like A Slow Summer Twilight by Jorge Luis Borges
- A Dream Within A Dream by George Macdonald
- I Stand Simply For The Thing I Am by Jorge Luis Borges
- Time Is The Essential Mystery by Jorge Luis Borges
- Illusion by George William Russell
Genres
- Philosophical Fiction — Explores complex metaphysical ideas and the nature of reality.
- Literary Fiction — Focuses on language, style, and the exploration of human experience.
- Metafiction — Discusses the act of writing and the nature of storytelling.
- Fantasy — Incorporates elements of dreams and imagination.
Tags
dreams · reality · philosophy · literature · existentialism · imagination · identity · narrative · surrealism · consciousness · metafiction · symbolism