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Essay On Masculinity In F. Scott Fitzgerald's Winter Dreams

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald´s “Winter Dreams” Fitzgerald portrays Judy as a woman with a free-spirited attitude toward men that can give her satisfaction. Even though Dexter, who is a wealthy business man, is trying to win her over, she takes on other men, leaving Dexter incapable towards her love. Judy´s dominance, attempts at golf and usage of men can be traced as a more masculine type, instead of the stereotypical feminist approach to control her desires. She gives Dexter the impression on not trying to peruse her, and takes on the dominant role in the relationship. This essay will show how Judy´s behavior as a masculine character can be portrayed negatively, as she defies expectations and is able to manipulate events to her advantage despite being a woman in a patriarchal society, and how …show more content…

Viewing feminism and masculinity as two different genders, how their roles are different when it occurs in decision making, power, and inhabiting space that are women´s and vice versa (Lecture notes 29. March 2017). Fitzgerald has on the first hand chosen to write his story as a reflection on his own life, where he includes his troubled masculinity and physical struggle, including the attempt to explain his definition on masculinity in the early 20th century. On the other hand, his work reveals details about his life before and afterlife with Zelda, which includes alcohol, depression and suicide attempts in the family. Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald´s life together is a base history for many of his stories and characters (Coursey, 1). In “Winter dreams” Judy is a character that reflects on Fitzgerald´s relationship with Ginevra King, who he loved and lost before he met Zelda. Ginevra ended this relationship due to various reasons that may have included social class and money, and is later on characterized as a self-centered and egotistical (Berman,

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Many social and political events during the early 20th century helped play a role in the molding of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams.” The conclusion of World War I, the Roaring Twenties and the emergence of the new woman all were reflected in Fitzgerald’s work. When the US entered WWI, women all over the country had to step up into new leadership roles, ones that had never been filled by women prior to the war. Men of the households were rushed out of the house and on to the battlefields, leaving openings in the workplaces, and the homes. Women began becoming self-sufficient and were forced to rely on themselves and other women.

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In the stories “Winter Dreams” and “Shelia Mant”, a significant similarity between the two, are the comparable traits of the two female characters, Sheila Mant and Judy Jones. Both women are notable for being manipulative and materialistic, and have many men longing for them. In “Winter Dreams”, Judy Jones deceives Dexter, the protagonist, by leading him on and prolonging his feelings of affection for her. Dexter is utterly attracted to her, calling her “arrestingly beautiful” (Fitzgerald).

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Characters in novels can have obsessions with people, the same as in the world readers live in today. In the book, The Great Gatsby, the main, male character, Gatsby, is obsessed with a woman named Daisy Buchanan. In the passage Winter Dreams, Dexter, the main male character, is obsessed with a woman, Judy Jones. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote both of these novels/ passages. The Great Gatsby is a story about a man revolving part of his life around trying to achieve his American dream by conforming to a woman and society 's standards.

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The American Dream is to have the pretty and extravagant things in this world. Although Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, and Judy Green from “Winter Dreams” have many differences, such as the places they go and people they encounter, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggest that there are more simialrities between the two such as, there flirtacious ways. Although Daisy and Judy have similarities, a stand out similarity is how flirtacious they can become. Judy is very flirtacious with the men in her life when she, “...smiles and the corners of her mouth [droop] and an almost interceptible sway [brings] her closer, looking into [their] eyes” (Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams” 750). Judy does not use to many words when being flirtacious with men but, uses

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Characters in novels can have obsessions with people, the same as in the world readers live in today. In the book, The Great Gatsby, the main, male character, Gatsby, is obsessed with a woman named Daisy Buchanan. In the passage Winter Dreams, Dexter, the main male character, is obsessed with a woman, Judy Jones. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote both of these novels/ passages introducing the same theme. The Great Gatsby is a story about a man who has revolved part of his life around trying to achieve his American dream by conforming to a woman and society 's standards.

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When looking for similarities and differences between the movie The Great Gatsby and the story “Winter Dreams,” both written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, you will see that both cover the theme of unrealistic love and the topic of craving to be from old money families. The Great Gatsby is told from the point of view of neighbor Nick Carraway. We learn that Jay Gatsby would go beyond measures to get what he wants. Whether to be more wealthy or show his undying love for one of the antagonists in this story, Daisy Buchanan. Dexter Green, in the story “Winter Dreams,” has very similar characteristics to Jay Gatsby.

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Tom Buchanan is Fitzgerald’s masterpiece of creating a character who portrays the life, and characteristics as an alpha male. Through the vision of character’s surrounding Tom we began to see how his loftier masculinity characterizes him in the story. I begin with a quote from Tom’s wife Daisy that embodies the intimidating masculine characteristics of Tom, “I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it. That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a-----” (Fitzgerald 12). In this quote from Daisy we view a list of characteristics that are associated with Tom’s masculinity.

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Scott Fitzgerald then reversed Judy and Dexter back to their normal stereotypes as in the stereotypical male and stereotypical female. They went back to their normal cliche stereotypes when Dexter went back to look for judy again, but completely single with his engagement to Irene called off, only to find that Judy got married and had kids while her husband was being unfaithful to her. Overall, with this short story written by F. scott Fitzgerald, he was trying to show that life goes on and to break the stereotypes because something good could come out of it, even though Dexter and Judy never fully realized it. “Winter Dreams” is a very successful name for the short story if it truly means what Jill Gidmark had written; “ The aging process is signified by the word “winter” in the title, but “winter” also signifies a transition that is more tragic than physical deterioration... Dexter’s emotions have become frozen.

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F Scott Fitzgerald’s character Judy Jones in “Winter Dreams” was described as “She was not a girl who could be “won” in the kinetic sense – she was proof against cleverness, she was proof against charge, if any of these assailed her too strongly she would immediate resolve the affair to a physical basis and under the magic of her physical spender the strong as well as the brilliant played her game and not their own”(Fitzgerald

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The Death of The Unborn Female American Dream Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, takes place during the time of The Great Depression; an era extremely difficult for women. The novella contains many iconic characters that serve as a metaphor to our societal standards. Curley’s wife is introduced just like any other; however, the emphasis on her feminine features are metaphoric to where women stand in society. In order to prove that society makes it impossible for certain people to attain The American Dream, Steinbeck objectifies, sexualizes, and kills Curley’s wife to show that women cannot reach The American Dream. Steinbeck uses specific vocabulary to objectify Curley’s wife; alienating her from The American Dream.

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In this novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, feminists question the treatment the women in book receive by the men. An example of this is when the author writes, “Benny McClenahan arrived always with four girls. They were never quite the same in physical personal, but they were so identical one with another that it inevitably seemed they had been there before” (p.63). This quotes shows the way women were treated in the society of the 1920’s, this was the time in which women started changing their behaviour

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By the end of the story he cannot have the girl, and his dreams are ruined. The author illustrates Dexter Green as a wishful boy longing for what the future holds. Fitzgerald incorporates many symbols as one being solely Judy Jones. The author uses style in the story by separating the story into 6 sections. Fitzgerald in “Winter Dreams” depicts the fantasy of the American dream and how no matter how hard one works he may never achieve his dream.

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1208 Words | 5 Pages

The characters put wealth, power, and desires over moral values and respect for themselves and others. Fitzgerald’s makes it obvious that he believes people should not substitute their values for a materialistic life. The characters’ desire to achieve the American dream outweighs moral convictions, resulting in scandalous and fatal actions. A critical perspective that is approached throughout the entire novel and is most helpful in understanding the theme is the Marxist criticism.

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The harmful masculine standards normalized in the twentieth century expected men to conform to three major themes, strength, wealth, and class. Throughout the novel, masculinity is a theme emulated by male characters in the novel. First, beginning with the character of Tom Buchanan, one of the first characters introduced in the novel. Nick initially attributes Tom's physical appearance, “[a]mong various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven”(Fitzgerald 6). In first crediting Tom’s physicality, Nick anticipates the reader to initially question Tom's masculinity when first introduced.

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Through use of comparison between Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, and Jordan Baker, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s message about women and feminine power is that having a man deprives the women of their power, ranking higher in social standards deepens the wound of selfishness, and being deceptive

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