Here are the questions for my 11th grade classes:
Winter Dreams online (and other stories)
1. At the end of the story, Dexter is obviously undergoing a significant life crisis. What would you tell him if you were with him?
2. What are Dexter’s winter dreams? What do these dreams tell you about him?
3. In giving up caddying, “Dexter was unconsciously dictated to by his winter dreams.” Explain how these dreams affected his decision.
4. What is the point of view of this story? How does this point of view affect the plot?
5. How do Dexter’s laundry business and his round of golf in part 2 tell you that he is still under the influence of his winter dreams?
6. In part 3, is Dexter becoming a snob, with his emphasis on clothes and his hometown, or is he simply trying to fit in? Explain. Why does he tell Judy that he is making “More money than any man his age in the Northwest?”
7. Why do you think Dexter becomes engaged to Irene?
8. In Part 6, after Dexter learns about Judy’s marriage, why is he so disturbed?
9. Do you think Dexter really loves Judy? Explain. Do you think Dexter would have been happier if he had married Judy? Why or why not?
10. Is Judy’s reckless disregard for the feelings of others a symptom of the Jazz Age, or could her character appear in a story from any period? Explain.