Jordan 1

Timothy Jordan
Storer
English 3H Block 5
26 November 2019
Socratic Reflection on Psychoanalysis and Marxism
I was absent at the Socratic Circle, so there is no group or individual reflection in this
assignment.
In the short story “Winter Dreams,” F. Scott Fitzgerald is trying to convey a lesson that
the American Dream is built upon desire for social mobility, is the object of various people’s
lives, and leaves individuals unsatisfied and sorrowful.
To structure my essay, would separate my essay into three paragraphs based on my three
main points. In the first paragraph, I would discuss the relation between social mobility and the
American Dream. To achieve this, I could use quotes from the short story of Dexter when he
begins his laundry business rather than being a caddy and other quote about Dexter giving up this
business again for a social status via military service. In my second body paragraph, I will
discuss how the American Dream becomes the most important and obsessive goal of people. To
demonstrate this, I can use a quote of Derrick growing and beginning his big city business.
Finally, in the final paragraph, I can convey how the American Dream leaves people upset and
regretful. In the story, Dexter looks back and regrets his life that he did not end up with Judy. By
getting too caught up in his work and social status, he neglected what he loved and in the end is
unsatisfied with the outcome of his life. I will then tie them together under the general lesson that
money is not everything and happiness is achieved in other ways.
As the class was reading this short story and I discerned that it was about the American
Dream, it reminded me heavily of my grandpa. My grandpa was born in Germany and
immigrated to the United States as a child. In his life, his life has a few correlations with the life
of Dexter. For example, he joined the military and fought in the Korean War. He also started off
with small jobs until he was eventually able to go to college and attain his dream job of become a
chemist. He was able to achieve his dream of a better life in the United States after marrying my
Grandma and having four children, including my mom. In contrast to Dexter, the American
Dream did lead my grandfather to a better life, but still posed the same amount of challenges,
struggles, and difficult decisions.