The narrator says that “a plan is a real thing, and things projected are experienced.” He goes on to
explain that a plan becomes a reality “never to be destroyed but easily to be attacked.” Plans represent
ambition, desire, and a vision of the future, and “the gods do not love men’s plans.” Kino’s plans for
his son’s future are dangerous because they represent his own ambition, and having stated his dreams
aloud, they develop a momentum and force beyond his control.