Three Story Reflections

Winter Dreams:
Fitzgerald's story seems to me to show the human necessity for consistency in life.  The idea of Judy Jones was what gave Dexter consistency throughout his life and when that idea was fractured at the end of the story it nearly crushed him.  No one can live in an ever changing world without some sort of "rock" upon which to hold.  This story seems less one about love and more one about safety in one belief.  Dexter treasures the belief that Judy Jones is an uncontrollable girl who will stay that way, but everything must change eventually.

Sophistication:
Anderson's story shows some of the subtleties of love.  It shows the illogical feelings which individuals experience but it also shows what love really is.  In the search for individualism a person must also find another.  A lonely individual is not as developed as a pair of strong people.  The joining of two people who comfort each other and protect each other from the pain of the world is what love really is, and I believe Anderson captured that well with his story.

The Bear:
This tale of realization of others love was interesting.  Throughout the story, the protagonist came to realize the way that his elders loved the bear.  The bear was an every elusive dream which represented everything that the elders hoped for but could not quite achieve.  It was something upon which they feigned destruction without the true intention to destroy.   The boy realized by the end of the story that the bear was something which was cherished by his elders.  It was their loved enemy.  The death of the bear was not truly the aim of the elders in this story.