Monday, May 14, 2012

Winter Dreams

A recurring theme of Fitzgerald's work is the pursuit of the American dream.  Based on Winter Dreams, explain what you think Fitzgerald saw as the American dream?  What, if anything, do you think is left out of this vision?

31 comments:

  1. In Winter Dreams it seems that fitzgerald's American Dream is to come from nothing and become very wealthy. It's a recurring theme that occurs in his works such as The Great Gatsby and Winterr Dreams. Another recurring theme is to fall in love with a beautiful woman. His vision tends to leave out having children or other things like the picket fence and a house and such, however, that may not be his idea of the American dream. Perhaps Fitzgerald's dream is to live life like a bachelor.

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  2. Fitzgerald's depiction of the american dream was having money, success, and a pretty wife. To me it seemed he left out his own happiness and feelings during this pursuit. It seemed that he didn't realize that happiness doesn't come from having wealth and a pretty wife. He doesn't really think about his future after a wife, wealth, and success, like kids or a family home. In "Winter Dreams" he expresses his want for material gain instead of what should really matter to him in life, and he ends up unhappy and missing something.
    Lisa Williams

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  3. I think his vision of the American is becoming successful. Throughout "Winter Dreams," Dexter becomes a successful busniess man but changed his path in life many times. I think that Fitzgerald left out love. Everybody has to love someone throughout their life and he made it so that Dexter liked what he did with his own life than trying to find love. Things didn't work out with Judy because he cared more about how he lived his life in his own way and not the way Judy wanted him to live his life.

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  4. I think Fitzgerald saw the dream as becoming wealthy. Dexter tries to become successful not in doing the things he loves, but in opening a laundry mat so he may become rich. He quits being a caddy even though he was very good at his job just so he can make more money. The thing Fitzgerald left out was happiness. Dexter wasn't happy with what he was doing. He became successful, but he didn't pursue his own dreams. Dexter only tried to become successful for a girl he liked. He didn't do anything to make himself happy.

    -Chelsea Abhau

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  5. I believe that Fitzgerald is saying that the American society is expanding in a successsful way. Winter Dreams, Dexter became confused what really was going on in his successful busniess career. He put the love of his mind before what he consious says. He made descions with Judy but they ended up not working out.

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  6. In Fitzgerald's Winter Dreams I believe he depicted the American Dream as having a good amount of success in life as well as a wife and that family aspect of life. In Dexter's "Winter Dreams" he dreams of being successful in life as well as wealthy. On top of all of this he is trying to get the attention of a nice, wealthy, good looking woman. Therefore, I believe that is what he is dipicting as the American Dream. If he left anything out I would say it would be the family because his relationship with Judy didn't work out as planned.

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  7. I think Fitzgerald's American dream is being successful and having money. In Winter Dreams Dexter quit being a caddy to try to impress a girl. He opens a laundry mat to try to become rich. He became successful but he did something he hated. He left what he loved to get a girl. He left out happiness in his American dream.

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  8. Fitzgerald's American dream is to become successful and make something of your life. Also, another dream is to have a lot of money, a wife, and to be known. In "Winter Dreams", Dexter opens a laundry mat and becomes rich. What Fitzgerald's leaves out his happiness. Dexter doesn't do what he likes to do. Dexter does what will make him rich instead of doing what he loves to do or what entertains him. He doesn't realize that happiness comes from these things that you love instead of the wealth and money. In the end Dexter still doesn't get the girl of his dreams which makes him unhappy. This comes to show that money and fame doesn't always give you what you want.
    Jordan Brank
    <3 MaMa :p

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  9. I think Scott fitzgeralds American dream is to succeed in everything you do. To not just stick with one think your whole like. Be successful in everything you do. Accomplish what you want on life. He was great at everything except being able to fall in love. He forgot to have love in his American dream.

    Tori Ostrander

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  10. In the story, Winter Dreams, the main chracter Dexter deals with the typical want of the "American Dream". The "American Dream" consists of happiness, a home, wife, successful job, and children. Dexter finds his successful job and the girl he wants. But, he left happiness out of the equation when he left her for his first love and riuned any chance of the "American Dream" he had wanted so badly. His loss of his dream is said in the title Winter Dreams. Winter could mean the loss and coldness that he feels when he realizes he ruined everyhting and will never be happy.

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  11. Tyler Tomlin

    In Winter Dreams it seems that fitzgerald's American Dream is to come from nothing and become very wealthy.Dexter became confused what really was going on in his successful busniess lifetime. he is trying to get the attention of a nice, wealthy, good looking wife too. He left what he loved to get a girl. Dexter only tried to become successful for a girl he liked. He didn't do anything to make himself happy.

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  12. I believe Fitzgerald's vision of the American dream was mainly about becoming wealthy. Dexter starts a laundromat business to try and become rich. He eventually quits his job of being a caddy, which he was good at, just so he can try and become rich. In doing so, Fitzgerald completely leaves out happiness from his vision of the American dream. Dexter eventually becomes a wealthy man, but he doesn't do it the way that made him happy. He started the laundromat business so a girl would like him, instead of making a name for himself doing something he loved, such as being a caddy.
    - Yours truely, Jeffrey Ayares <3

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  13. I think Fitzgerald has kind of the white picket fence dream. First he has Dexter making lots of money. Then he meets Judy Jones. This is where things go wrong at. He left out marrying a girl. Since he meets Judy he is just driven in strange ways. He almost Mary's but Judy messes that up. In the end he just a lonely solider.

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  14. I believe that Fitzgerald's vision of the American Dream was to rise up from a humble beginning and make a name for yourself, become a success. He mentions how Dexter lives a very successful life, but begins to stray away from his life of success, for a girl. Be this foolish or not, at least Dexter followed his heart.

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  15. In Fitzgerald's Winter Dreams I believe he depicted the American Dream as having a good amount of success in life as well as a wife and that family aspect of life. In Dexter's "Winter Dreams" he dreams of being successful in life as well as wealthy.

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  16. Fitzgerald's American Dream is to be succesful. Mostly to have money, a girl, a career, and happiness. I think that Dexter thinks that he needs things that he really just wants. He tries so hard to get Judy and to be rich and powerful, and in the process, he loses himself. He wasted away his youth and some of his life trying to be something and doing things that he didn't like because he thought it would make him happy. I think he left his own happiness out of his vision of the American Dream.
    -Nick Williams

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  17. I think that Fitzgerald just wants to be successful and be wealthy, a wife, and to be very widely known. He opens his laundry mat and becomes rich off of it. But, Dexter doesnt enjoy his job, he wants to do what he loves, instead he is stuck doing a job just because it makes him rich. Happiness doesnt come from wealth and money, but it comes from happiness and doing what you love. Dexter never gets the girl he wants, which is a good example of money cant buy everything.

    Bomba

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  18. Fitzgerald was considered to be the man who pretty much said the American dream is dead. If you're looking at him and the American dream, you come to wonder if this was brought on by the subject of his works, since that is where this idea is really looked at. During the time of this story it was the roaring twenties and was post World War One .The times were defined by having more culture, being more social, more materialistic, new ideals such as flapper girls. There were people known as the lost generation, which included Fitzgerald, who were very bitter about the way that the world was now turning. This was a huge inspiration for him believing the American Dream was dead.
    Cindi Strong

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  19. A recurring theme in Fitzgeralds work is the american dream. After reading the story " Winter Dreams" I feel that Fitzgerlad saw being successful, weathy, wife, and a good job. Fitzgerald's view of the american dream is the most common "American Dream." Fitzgerald left out being happy. He did not like his job. He left what he loved, and what made him happy for a girl. That is not part of the american dream.

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  20. Fitzgeralds american dream is to be succesful in life, and have a wife. Also, he wants to be very wealthy. He does do some of the american dream but he leaves out one part. He is not happy. He leaves what he likes to do for the girl. So he is not happy anymore, which is part of the American Dream.
    -Anthony Rullo

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  21. The central irony of the story is that realizing the American Dream yields bleak rewards. For example, when Dexter was a young caddy, he dreamed about success and wealth and the happiness they would bring. When he finally beats T. A. Hedrick in a golf tournament, however, the triumph brings him little joy. Dexter is able to transcend middle-class inertia but, despite his tireless efforts to advance his fortunes, forced to accept that money cannot buy happiness. Therefore, the American dream is no longer his own dream. Dexter must create a dream in his mind that helps him to go on.

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  22. Fitzgerald's American dream is to prosper, and do it quickly. Due to his investments and business moves, that comes easily to him. He also seems to care a lot about women. He wants a woman who is satisfying, someone who does not bore him. He seems to leave out his personal happiness, or time to settle down. Fitzgerald disregards his own wants, for his dreams.
    Brooke Ottinger

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  23. Dexter's dreams suggest that he is motativated to stand out from the crowd. He wants to become a golf champion and a great athelete. Dexter wants to be wealthy and admired. Dexter wants to be with Judy because she is the embodiement of his dreams and represents his life desires. The only thing that is missing from his dreams are that he is not happy.

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  24. I believe that Fitzgerald saw the American Dream as being successful. In "Winter Dreams" Dexter focuses more on his success in life then anything else. Although he did love Judy, I think he still wanted success more then anything because he knew the games that Judy played with all the guys in the town. So I believe that Fitzgerald leaves out love. I think that Fitzgerald should have let Dexter never settles down with the girl that he loves.

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  25. Fitzgeralds american dream was to be successful in life and to have a significant other while you accomplish those dreams. Dexter in the story "winter dreams" was achieving the American dream by succeeding in his endeavors as a laundromat owner. Something that would be left out of his vision would be the happiness or satisfaction of achieving the goal that you sought out for. Dexter sought to have Judy Jones with him but when he finally achieved Judy as his wife he was not satisfied at all. Happiness is also part of the American dream.
    Joe Cardona

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  26. In the story "Winter Dreams", Dexter deals with the typical want of the "American Dream". The "American Dream" consists of happiness: a home, wife, successful job, and children. Dexter finds his successful job and a girl who he truely wants. However, he left happiness out of the equation when he left her for his first love and thus riuning any chance of the "American Dream". His loss of his dream is said in the title "Winter Dreams". Winter could mean the loss that he feels.

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  27. A theme that recurs in Fitzgerald’s work is the pursuit of the American dream. Based on Winter Dreams, Fitzgerald saw the American dream as success. Dexter wanted to be successful and have a beautiful wife. I think that Fitzgerald left out happiness and family. Dexter wanted to be successful so that Judy would like him, but it left him not happy. Also, I think that family ties into the happiness. He was too busy trying to be successful for a girl to like him that he never had time to realize that happiness and family is more important.
    -Hailey Tripet

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  28. Fitzgeralds version of the "American Dream", was, I believe, to be wealthy, successful, and have the best wife you could possibly get, to be at your side. Now, many things Are left out of this equation. The fact that at that point, you will need to take precautions to preserve that wealth, success, and marriage. Need to look to the future. Also with that stuff, doesn't always come happiness, which is key to a good life, and therefore, the "American Dream". Also so many more things.

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  29. Fitzgerald's depiction of what the American dream was to start from nothing and be able to become successful. America was a land of prosperity and everyone wanted to get a piece of it. Not much is left of the American dream today. Becoming successful and prosperous is a scarce thing to find now and days. In America you need more to achieve your goals its not the same as it used to be.

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  30. Fitzgerald saw the American dream as the pursuit of becoming wealthy and successful. It consisted of becoming wealthy, successful, and having a good wife. The american dream is still alive today. People from other countries and Americans are able to prosper and reach their goals. People today still want to do well for themselves and have a good wife like Fitzgerald had said.

    -Tyler DuBois

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  31. I think Fitzgerald thought the American Dream was to become richer & more successful. I he might have also thought that it was to find a girl to be with, like Dexter in "Winter Dreams". He wanted Judy, but wanted to be rich even more because he ended up leaving her. I also think that Fitzgerald thought the American Dream was to enjoy America & live a happy life, most of which happened to Dexter, but like in "The Great Gatsby", the "Modernist Hero" always has character flaws & doesn't manage to live with a perfect life...

    -YinYang13
    (Please let this count!)

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