Which parts of the excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter …

English Questions
Short Answer
Step by Step Solution
English Questions

Which parts of this excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams” helps build anticipation in the story? [A) Dexter put on his bathing-suit and swam out to the farthest raft, where he stretched dripping on the wet canvas of the springboard.] There was a fish jumping and a star shining and the lights around the lake were gleaming. Over on a dark peninsula a piano was playing the songs of last summer and of summers before that√¢¬Ä¬îsongs from “Chin-Chin” and “The Count of Luxemburg” and “The Chocolate Soldier”√¢¬Ä¬îand [B) because the sound of a piano over a stretch of water had always seemed beautiful to Dexter he lay perfectly quiet and listened.] [C) The tune the piano was playing at that moment had been gay and new five years before when Dexter was a sophomore at college.] [D) They had played it at a prom once when he could not afford the luxury of proms, and he had stood outside the gymnasium and listened.] The sound of the tune precipitated in him a sort of ecstasy and it was with that ecstasy he viewed what happened to him now. [E) It was a mood of intense appreciation, a sense that, for once, he was magnificently attune to life and that everything about him was radiating a brightness and a glamour he might never know again.]

Short Answer

The answer explains how anticipation is utilized as a literary device, particularly in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams,” where Dexter’s moment of reflection hints at an impending life change. Through imagery and foreshadowing, the narrative builds suspense and emotional engagement, leading readers to expect significant transformations in Dexter’s journey.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Understand the Concept of Anticipation

In literature, anticipation is a powerful literary device that engages readers by giving them hints about future events without revealing what will happen next. This keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to see how the story unfolds. It creates a sense of curiosity and emotional investment in the characters’ journeys.

Step 2: Analyze Dexter’s Experience

In the story “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we see the character Dexter in a moment of profound reflection. As he lies quietly and listens to the piano, the scene conveys a peaceful beauty over the water. This moment is significant as it suggests a pivot in Dexter’s life, heightening the reader’s anticipation of a major change to come that may disrupt this tranquility.

Step 3: Connect the Clues to Future Events

The narrator’s description that Dexter feels a “brightness and a glamour he might never know again” implies an impending shift in his life. This statement foreshadows that Dexter’s current blissful state is temporary. The two key points in this narrative‚ÄöAilistening to the piano and the sense of unattainable beauty‚ÄöAibuild anticipation, hinting at transformations yet to occur in Dexter’s story.

Related Concepts

Anticipation

A literary device that provides hints about future events in a story, keeping readers engaged and curious about what will happen next.

Peaceful Beauty

A term describing a tranquility and aesthetic charm that evokes deep reflection and emotional response in a character, often marking a significant moment in their journey.

Foreshadowing

A narrative technique that suggests or hints at future events or changes in the story, creating an expectation or intensity regarding what might occur next.

Table Of Contents
  1. Which parts of this excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" helps build anticipation in the story? [A) Dexter put on his bathing-suit and swam out to the farthest raft, where he stretched dripping on the wet canvas of the springboard.] There was a fish jumping and a star shining and the lights around the lake were gleaming. Over on a dark peninsula a piano was playing the songs of last summer and of summers before that—songs from "Chin-Chin" and "The Count of Luxemburg" and "The Chocolate Soldier"—and [B) because the sound of a piano over a stretch of water had always seemed beautiful to Dexter he lay perfectly quiet and listened.] [C) The tune the piano was playing at that moment had been gay and new five years before when Dexter was a sophomore at college.] [D) They had played it at a prom once when he could not afford the luxury of proms, and he had stood outside the gymnasium and listened.] The sound of the tune precipitated in him a sort of ecstasy and it was with that ecstasy he viewed what happened to him now. [E) It was a mood of intense appreciation, a sense that, for once, he was magnificently attune to life and that everything about him was radiating a brightness and a glamour he might never know again.]

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