meanings

Hi Teacher'

Could you please tell me the meanings of the bracketed parts of the following sentences?

1. The sacks were piled on the floor. There were about forty of them, [each
one depending in size on the need of the receive.]

2. The people dreamed and fought and slept as much as ever. [And by habit
they shortened their thoughts so that they would not wander out into the
darkness beyond tomorrow.]

Thanks a lot!

[Tdol]

The first is very strange- it looks wrong to me. I imagine the idea is that the sacks were different sizes because the recipients had different needs.
In the second, are the people is a war or something? It suggests that their future has become very short- they only think about the next day and getting through it.