Washington State University Modernism Winter Dreams Discussion https://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/engl494/winterdreams.pdf Question to ponder in your post

Washington State University Modernism Winter Dreams Discussion https://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/engl494/winterdreams.pdf

Question to ponder in your post: what makes this a Modernist story?

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Then respond to one Student

In addition to the post, please post one paragraph-length that respond to specific points made in your peers’ posts. You may agree or disagree, but be sure to respond with an aim towards deepening class discussions, not being “right” or correcting anyone.

Student #1

“Winter Dreams”, a tale of a love obsessed Dexter Green and his fruitless endeavor to try and win Judy Jones’ heart, display many characteristics and aspects of modernism. One of the most apparent is through the inclusion of World War I, an event that heavily affected and accelerated the arrival of modernism, with many writers responding to it in many different ways. In “Winter Dreams”, instead of making it out to be the awful war that it was, the story uses the event to help serve as a much needed distraction for Dexter from all of the turmoil and love conflicts that he was having at the time, making the war serve as a tool that positively affects the main character. When it comes to less apparent or blatantly mentioned aspects of modernism, chaos, as well as disjointedness all are displayed through Dexter’s recurring desperate desire to be with Judy. Many of his actions are driven by Dexter’s sudden and increasing passion for her, making a bit of his life and his overall character into one that’s a bit of mess, going back and forward on her thoughts on Judy, forcing himself to get over her and throw himself to work and to another women named Irene, only to backpedal to loving Judy again. These actions (displaying the faithfulness aspect of modernism), destroys his marriage, as he betrays Irene, and compromises his image in society. His life becomes disjointed as a result of Judy Jones ever since their reuniting on the golf’s club’s lake when he was twenty three despite rarely ever seeing her, and knowing the fact that she cheats on him with other men and plays with people’s feelings despite how it affects their inner emotions, though he still goes along for the ride despite of this.

Despite her toying with other’s emotions, and her constant jumping towards one guy to the other, I feel that alienation is something that is present in Judy Jones. Despite living a decent life, she shows her she is emotionally distraught as she cries over her situation two or three throughout the story. Despite her charming good looks, it’s as if she feels like she really doesn’t belong with any man that she dates, and ends up giving up on them after only a month. I believe, as a means of not wanting to be alone forever, she ends up marrying a man who cheats on her, is a constant drinker, and she ends up being a stay in home mom, losing her beauty and spark as a result. Discovering this, Dexter’ illusion of her (connecting with the disillusionment of modernism) shatters and he is left crying over it all towards the end of the story, being a lot more representative of reality on which modernist stories contain than the typical happy endings when it comes to more typical stories of love.