I Had a Dream

There is a running theme of broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams throughout the Fitzgerald stories we read in class. Both Gatsby and Dexter chase after women, only to realize too late that they've been chasing after an ideal.

Dexter spends most of his life seeking to attain Judy Jones. He doggedly woos her despite her rejections, infidelity, and capricious behavior. We ask ourselves why he doesn't just leave--in fact, even Dexter realizes to some extent that it's a pointless endeavor. When Judy asks Dexter to marry her, "a million phrases of anger, pride, passion, hatred, tenderness fought on his lips," revealing his internal conflict between his dream and reality. Even with all the evidence against Judy, as well as the emotional pain he'd cause Irene, Dexter decides to marry her. To him, she represents the perfect woman. He is completely blind to her faults because he has this flawless image of her affixed in his imagination. He either is unable to or unwilling to give up Judy, because that would mean his life has been meaningless. That is why he is so devastated, years later, when Devlin reveals that Judy is no longer beautiful. Dexter can't deceive himself any longer; his winter dreams are gone, and he realizes "he could never go back any more" (958).

Gatsby's story is very similar to Dexter's. Gatsby, arguably, has the more merciful fate. He doesn't have to go through the painful process of learning to find meaning in life once again. Dexter, on the other hand, is forever changed by his revelation.

These two stories focus on only a few people. Fitzgerald doesn't mention anything about Daisy and Judy's other lovers. If you think about it, how many of them suffered similar fates, chasing after fantasies? The experiences of Gatsby and Dexter aren't unique events. Most people, if not all, have their dreams tested at some point in their lives--and woe unto them if their dreams do not stand up to the harshness of reality.

There is something profoundly sorrowful about the death of a dream.