Winter Dreams By F. Scott Fitzgerald

1780 Words8 Pages
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” examines a boy named Dexter Green whose ambitions become identified with a selfish rich girl. He is from a modest background and he strives to be a part of the exclusive world inhabited by the woman he loves. He needs glittering things such as money, wealth, and privilege to fulfill his vision of a perfect life which indulges gaining the love of Judy Jones. Judy was the center of his dream and she pushed and motivated him to become successful. But having her does more than motivate him to become successful, because she will show him a passionate vitality and liveliness in this life. When he learns that Judy’s beauty and vitality has faded and is lost, he breaks and he is disappointed. This story is about having the American Dream, and there are certain themes such as emptiness, power and money, freedom and control, and illusions that play an important role in attaining that dream. The themes that play throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story also play throughout contemporary society, with immigrants who want to enter into the United States to achieve the same American Dream. One of the themes that play throughout the story is emptiness. In “Winter Dreams,” Dexter Green is caught up in the lifestyle of the rich and Judy is the center of his dreams. Once she loses her beauty and allure, he loses his dreams and is full of emptiness. He says, “Now that thing is gone . . . I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no more”. The winter dreams were just an illusion. Dexter feels empty because his dreams and ambitions, which were to have money, wealth, power, and privilege, are now gone and have disappointed. But those dreams are more complex and more elusive than they initially appear to be. Dexter seeks more than material wealth. He is not a fortune hunter. He wants to experience to the fullest extent possible
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