I think one of the principal parallels that we can draw
between the protagonist of this excellent short story and the author is the way in which
Fitzgerald himself fell in love with his wife, Zelda, who captured the beauty, glamour
and wealth of the upper class life that he then went on to lead in the same way that
Judy Jones is described as representing wealth and social prestige to Dexter Jones. Note
the following quote:
Judy Jones, a slender enameled doll in cloth of
gold: gold in a band at her head, gold in two slipper points at her dress's hem. The
fragile glow of her face seemed to blossom as she smiled at
him.
Note the way that in
this quote the gold acts as a symbol of Dexter's dreams and the elusive glamour that
Judy represents. The way that Fitzgerald fell in love with his wife represents a similar
attraction, where the women that both men fell in love with stand for so much more than
just being the objects of affection. Both Dexter and Fitzgerald were involved in World
War I, and both likewise pursued the American Dream with tragic results, as Fitzgerald
had to cope with the madness of his wife and his own breakdown just as Dexter had to
suffer the loss of his dreams and hopes.
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