The short story, Winter Dreams, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The short story, Winter Dreams, by F. Scott Fitzgerald holds lasting impact today, mainly for the authors efficacy to weave love, desire, emotion, and the moral fiber of an individual into a story. The underlying theme is centered on how charisma washstand drives a person to lose order of their true goal in life, thereby finding pleasure in selfish gain which results in eventual loss. I will develop an digest of characterization and theme in this famed short story. The story is a narrative account of Dexter Green, a reliable, self-assured individual who falls into the blade of infatuation of a beautiful wo humanness, Judy Jones.Ms. Jones is also a self-assured individual. She, however, bases her confidence on her outer peach, a beauty that intoxicates hands, bringing them to her knees. Judy represents intense passion, and she brings it out in men, empowering her own life. She leads Dexter to rather abruptly quit is work as a caddy because he yearns to impress Judy, and working as a caddy doesnt meet her expectations. At the time Judy is merely eleven years old. From a very young age, we see that Dexter is the kind of person who goes afterwards his dreams, makes a plan and follows through, but Judy alters this.The characteristics of Dexters disposition are made clear by F. Scott Fitzgerald in quick fashion. Dexters personality comes to light as Fitzgerald displays how astute, intelligent and confident the boy can be. Like Dexter, most of Fitzgerald s male characters choose to feel empowered at the cost of the real. Only a world of illusion, such as Judy Jones, that can handle her emotional intensity. For one, the story unfolds by casting a scene between a nurse and a young girl on the golf course. These women are having a heated conversation.Although Dexter is at a distance from the scene, he understandably witnesses the incident as troublesome. In the end, one girl raises a club at the different woman, a nurse. She raises the club as if she was goin g to pound her. entirely she doesnt follow through with her threat. Dexter finds humor in this. His ability to find the comedy behind such childish behavior adds to his own new-made wisdom. Heres a snippet of this scene, as written by the author Realizing that the elements of the comedy were implied in the scene, Dexter several times began to laugh, but individually time restrained the laugh before it reached audibility.Not only is Dexter smart enough to recognize this altercation as a staged situation, which is tho the ego of two people butting heads, but he does so without allowing this incident to alter his own mood. Whats even more humorous is that Fitzgerald uses two females in this somatic altercation on the golf course. Normally, the stereotype would be to place two men arguing while playing a sport. Not only does Fitzgerald squash the stereotyping, but he does so by having one woman threatening to nearly behead another woman with a raised club. This displays Fitzgerald notional knack for bringing humor into a potentially disastrous scene.Beyond this, Dexter is not concerned that this altercation might result in physical injury. He realizes their childish threats will go nowhere. This further strengthens his character. Not only is Dexter able to see that the fracas is not going to actually create violent, but, at fourteen years of age, his analysis of the scene adds to his character. Dexters characteristics come across as a young boy who can express for himself. For instance, he is shown having a conversation with a very established man of the community. Dexter is not the least bit intimidated by this adult presence.Dexter, instead, is comprehend by members of the golf course to be one of the best caddies. Dexter, then, makes a decision to quit his caddying job. He has higher aspirations and realizes that hes gotten all can out of caddying. A golf member hears of this and pleas for the young Dexter to continue to caddy for him, stating that he can make if very worthy to Dexter. In result to this plea, Fitzgerald wrote Youre not more than fourteen. Why the devil did you decide just this morning that you cherished to quit? You promised that next week youd go over to the State tournament with me. I decided I was too old. Dexter stands up for what he believes. He is not swayed by an adult figure with a high-standing position in, both, the championship world and on the golf course. The reader sees that elitism cannot sway the young Dexter from going after what he really wants in life. This is, in fact, very humorous for Dexter wants to be one of the elite. Years later, Dexter falls into the lustful vision of the very beautiful Ms. Jones. Ms. Jones is more that willing to use her outer beauty to gain countless new lovers. She does begin a relationship with Dexter when he is in his twenties.Judy Jones is even boasted about by three other men that Dexter plays golf with one day. These are, again, some of the elite men in society. They almost salivate as they discuss Judy Jones. Good-looking cried Mr. Hedrick contemptuously, she always looks as if she wanted to be kissed Turning those big cow-eyes on every calf in town Here, we can see Fitzgeralds light-hearted, almost comical, means of showing how mans desire can rule a person on certain levels. After this golf outing, Judy and Dexter begin a relationship. Dexter is rhapsodic about her.He isapparently for the first timeoverwhelmed with a new appreciation over having Judy in his life. Judy, however, is a hollow person and Dexter doesnt see this. This shallow characteristic in Judy represents people who are self-centered and seek to make gains by using their physical appearance instead of fit more knowledgeable. Her hollow personality is at the center of her world. All Dexter sees is her physical characteristics which nearly melt him into submission. She has the same affect on many other men in her life. Near the end of the story, Judy breaks off their relationship.She is too easily swayed by other mens advances and his financial status. Dexter is crushed by her departure, but he begins to renew his life and starts a relationship with a nice girl. This girl is less than glamorous but is filled with other worthwhile characteristics. Judy, then, runs back to Dexter but he does not take her bait. Dexter then discovers through Delvin, that Judy has since gotten married and is raising a family. Now, however, Judy has lost her beauty and is be treated unfairly by her husband. This husband runs off with other women, leaving Judy alone to raise the kids.In closing, we see who cleverly Fitzgerald develops theme and storyline. Fitzgerald also knowing how to shape his short stories to meet the needs of magazine readers while, at the same time, using these serious themes as springboards into longer fiction. Winter Dream is centered about characterization. Its the characters and their interactions with one another that make this story so empowering. Its impact is still felt today because so much of society continues to be tricked by external beautys advances. For, the true beauty comes from deep within the heart and soul of a person who shares their life instead of taking payoff of others.SOURCESF. Scott Fitzgerald http//people.brandeis.edu/teuber/fitzgeraldbio.htmlwinterdreamsIntroduction to the Short Story dhttp//www.people.vcu.edu/bmangum/fitzstories.html