Learn about the activation-synthesis theory of dreams, which was developed in the 1970s.

That is a really interesting theory, I imagine there are some elements of truth to it, but I have to agree with the last bit regarding the confusion with what's happening when people carry on where they left off in earlier dreams. I sometimes carry on dreams I had weeks ago, or even years, and sometimes do parts of the same dream again but consciously decide to change bits because I didn't like how it went last time.

Fascinating theory. When the pons shoot random impulses and the frontal lobes try to make sense, it would stand to reason that each person creates their own unique sense out of those firings. So I think it's reasonable to argue that dreams do mean something to the dreamer.

I remember seeing a clip of a comedian who asked "Ever have a dream where you hated to leave it and tried to redream it, only to have it be a weird mutation of the original dream? One time I dreamed I was in a pool with Christy Brinkly (model from the 80's). I didn't want the dream to end so when I woke up and tried to redream it, I was shooting pool with David Brinkly (old newscaster from the 1950's and 60's)."

I know exactly what you mean, sometimes when I try to continue with a dream after waking up, or redream a dream on a different night, it starts out okay then goes oddly different so that I think 'no, no - it's all wrong!'