Saturday, February 25, 2012

How does "Winter Dreams" by F. Scott Fitzgerald relate to the modernism time period?

According to Trent Lorcher in his article "Lesson Plans:
Modernism in Literature:


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Modernism is marked by a strong and intentional
break with tradition. This break includes a strong reaction against established
religious, political, and social
views.



In Fitzgerald's
"Winter Dreams," Dexter's behavior exemplifies the style of modernist authors, breaking
with the realist style. (First printed in 1922, this is a time of economic growth and
optimism, with many stories of success for all kinds of
people.)


Dexter is a man of humble beginnings who defies
the social rules of the time: he does not conform to the wishes of the upperclass. When
offered a rare opportunity to caddy for a wealthy golfer, he refuses. Next, he quits
rather than be forced to caddy for a tyrannical eleven-year old
golfer.


The modernist view in this story focuses on the
"strong reaction against...social views." Dexter does not conform to the whims of the
rich as one might have expected him to.


He strategically
chooses his own college, and creates a line of laundries catering to the wealthy. He
becomes a young man of means, highly regarded by those in the elite
class.


In this way, he is able to create a persona that
easily mingles with the rich. When it seems that Dexter is in control of his life, he
meets the eleven-year old child from his caddying days—Judy Jones. She is grown up,
beautiful and desirable—to everyone.


While it seems that
Dexter might be able to consciously protect himself from Judy's careless attentions,
even seeming to understand what she is doing to him, he eventually falls for her. For a
time, he loses his direction, though he understands his hopeless attraction to
Judy.


Dexter continues to throw himself into his business,
while dealing with Judy's casual regard of him. This goes on for months, and ultimately
he removes himself from her circle. He concentrates even more on financial success, and
starts seeing another young woman, Irene, to whom he eventually
proposes.


It would appear to the reader, especially based
on the norms of that time, that Dexter has finally found a way to leave Judy behind and
move forward with his life. One would expect him to do the smart and
predictable thing: he is bright and successful. It seems he
will marry and settle down.


Based on one chance encounter
with Judy, however, Dexter turns his back on Irene and becomes engaged to Judy; their
engagement is short-lived. As painful as all this is, he continues to deal with
disappointment while his pain seems to strengthen him. Dexter joins the
war.



[Dexter]
was one of those young thousands who greeted the war with a certain amount of relief,
welcoming the liberation from webs of tangled
emotion.



The war is over,
years pass, and Dexter is firmly grounded again. By chance he meets a friend of Judy's.
Judy has married, but her life is sadly changed—her husband fools around while she cares
for her children; and, Dexter learns her beauty has
faded.


This news, especially the last, causes him to mourn
what is now gone forever. Where his winter dreams as a young man promised relief with
the newness of spring, Dexter realizes that the chance of a life with Judy is gone
forever.


The modernist style baldly shows Dexter's ongoing
struggle, and the loss of his dream of Judy, as well as the loss of those years that
brought him some kind of happiness. For all he could do, Dexter was never able to keep
Judy from destroying the hope she created within him.


I
hope this helps.

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