Analysis Of Winter Dreams In The Great Gatsby

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Everyone wants to be successful and live the life they always dream about having. Some people achieve the dream and others fail to accomplish it. The short story was published in December of 1922. Fitzgerald has multiple stories that he is well known for, but The Great Gatsby is his claim to fame. In most of his stories he focuses on the American Dream, mostly the failure of it. He is known for writing about a poor boy who falls in love with a rich girl and will do anything to be with her. “Winter Dreams” is about a man, who falls for a rich and snobby girl and struggles to keep her by his side. Fitzgerald uses characterization to develop and showcase what the characters are like. The author uses symbols to reference the story to further connect …show more content…

“Setting as a symbol of Dexter’s changing state of mind” (“Winter Dreams”). In the beginning of the story Dexter is in Minnesota caddying on a high-class golf course. Then he makes his way to a very prestige college to become successful, which then leads him back to the club. Throughout the story he, goes back and forth to New York and then back to Minnesota. This story takes place over a long period of time and many seasons pass by. “Summer, fall, winter, spring, another summer, another fall—so much he had given of his active life to the incorrigible lips of Judy Jones” (Fitzgerald). His constant change in setting is all because of Judy and her decisions and actions. In each season a different event happens and regarding Judy and it makes Dexter question what he wants in life. The setting where Dexter is located matches up with his feelings and his situation revolving around …show more content…

“The green and open spaces of his days on a golf course in Minnesota are gone, replaced by the constricting, cold, gray cement and steel skyscraper” (Flibbert). Dexter used to work as a caddy and would always be in the warm sun on the green grass where he was happiest at. But, since he moved to New York, there isn’t any bright colors or many green golf courses. Green represents hope and the color gray represents dull and emotionless. “The gates were closed, the sun was gone down, and there was no beauty, but the grey beauty of steel that withstands all time” (Fitzgerald). When he was on the golf course he was with Judy but now that he is in New York he cannot be with her. All the beauty in Judy and Sherry Island is replaced with New York skies and