Monday, June 18, 2012

In "Winter Dreams," does Dexter Green succeed or fail in achieving his goal?

Throughout this excellent short story we see that Dexter
Green is impelled to make a success of his life through earning money and gaining the
glamour and confidence of the rich, as personified in Judy Jones. Of course, for him,
his goal or aim is symbolised in the person of Judy Jones herself, and throughout the
story at various places Judy as a character is explicitly related to wealth and the goal
that Dexter has for his life:


readability="8">

Judy Jones, a slender enameled doll in cloth of
gold: gold in aband at her had, gold in two slipper points at her dress's
hem.



Note the way in which
gold is repeated and associated so closely with her character. It is clear that the
reference to gold links in which Dexter's winter dreams and the wealth he longed for and
achieved, but also found wanting. Judy represents or symbolises elusive glamour, that
Dexter can never quite attain. It is highly interesting that at the end of the story,
when he hears how Judy Jones has lost her looks, he feels that his dream is lost and has
not been achieved. Although he is rich and successful, still that is not enough for
Dexter, as he expresses in the last paragraph:


readability="11">

"Long ago," he said, "long ago, there was
something in me, but now that thing is gone. Now that thing is gone, that thing is gone.
I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no
more."



This shows that, in
Dexter's opinion at least, he has not achieved his goal and his attempt to pursue it has
only resulted in a feeling of disappointment and loss.

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