Dexter In F. Scott Fitzgerald's Winter Dreams

Within every person lies an idea, the idea of what they desire in life. It can be a broad idea, such as being successful, or it can be a specific one; like winning the heart of someone in particular. It is the latter that self-destructively consumes the efforts of Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams”. Dexter is a successful and well off young man despite being impulsive, and at times, making illogical decisions based on his emotions. He takes the time to picture his “winter dreams” he desires and their fulfillment. Ultimately his poor decision making and attempts at fulfilment of his dreams leads to Dexter persisting at what he likely already knows internally is a doomed and heartbreaking endeavor. When it comes to personal decision making, Dexter fails horribly at making calm well-thought-out choices. Rather, he acts

Early in story it is told, as winter draws nearer Dexter occupies himself more and more with his reveries. For instance, he often thinks of besting the character T.A. Hedrick in golf in many of his thoughts: “He became a golf champion and defeated Mr. T A. Hedrick in a marvelous match played a hundred times over the fairways of his imagination, a match each detail of which he changed about untiringly. . .” (198-199). While this “winter dream” doesn’t overly effect Dexter’s life and future in particular, others do. When he was selecting where to attend university for example, they were the deciding factor for him: “They persuaded Dexter several years later to pass up a business course at the state university. . . for the precarious advantage of attending an older and more famous university in the East. . .” (201-202). He chooses this university even despite the fact that “. . .he was bothered by his scanty funds” because of the devotion he feels to these dreams (202). They guide him through his life, for better, or