Within the Story “Winter Dreams”, we are quickly introduced to a boy named Dextor who works as a caddie for a golf club. While he is young he, handles a job to make pocket change for himself. Dexter is often referred to as “the best caddy in the club”. Our first introduction to carpe diem is with Dexter and why he decides to quit his job "I decided I was too old …I think I'll quit.” The title “Winter Dreams” refers to the dreams our main character, Dexter, is trying to pursue. Winter dreams are, in other words to live in the moment (Carpe Diem), “He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people—he wanted the glittering things themselves.” This is also our first understanding of why Dexter chooses to leave his job as well as decline any school opportunities unless it was from a specific famous university located in the east.
Judy Jones is F. Scott Fitzgerald physical representation of carpe diem throughout “Winter Dreams” due to the care-free attitude that she portrays near the main character Dexter. With this knowledge, as a reader, Dexter’s seriousness highlights Judy’s qualities. Dexter is a very relatable character within this universe which allows readers to have a sense of resemblance due to his hard-working characteristics which allowed him to pursue and nearly complete his life-long dream. Over the course of the story, readers are often confused on why a character as hard working as Dexter chooses to stall his dreams in order to pursue Judy Jones. This is due to this, our author’s intention was to portray Dexter to chase after the source of Carpe Diem. Many times, within the story, Dexter continuously manages to get close enough to Carpe Diem, but is constantly reminded that obtaining it would be impossible due to the numerous individuals that have tried previously. “She was entertained only by the gratification of her desires and by the direct exercise of her own charm.” which. Further portrays her role as Carpe Diem. Dexter decision to marry another girl named Irene Scheerer allowed him to finally feel freedom from Judy.
When Dexter manages to live his life separated from Judy, he starts to feel wholesome until Judy manages to come back and try and persuade him to come back to her. Dexter learns from his previous mistakes and decisions by trying to ignore Judy and her advances towards him. Knowing that Judy is very boastful about herself, Dexter stays strong and tells her he can’t be with her. It is then revealed that Judy knew all along that Dexter was already engaged to Irene Scheerer. When Judy starts crying it shows that she made a lot of mistakes that she regrets by living the life of Carpe Diem. If she had planned her life and acted accordingly, her life would end up differently.
As both characters age, the audience gets to see a development in both Judy and Dexter. Judy is brought up in the story as a Carpe Diem character that shows little empathy for others and focuses more on herself and her happiness throughout the story. Dexter, on the other hand, utilizes a different version of carpe diem by making progress towards a greater future for himself. Towards the end of the story, it is said that “if he had married Judy Jones and seen her fade away before his eyes… the dream was gone”. This signifies that the dream that Dexter was chasing after for so long wasn’t Judy Jones, but the personality and freedom that she displayed since the start of “Winter Dreams”.