Question

select the correct answer.
which of the following excerpts from f. scott fitzgerald’s “winter dreams” exemplifies dexter’s disillusionment with love?
a. he loved her, and he would love her until the day he was too old for loving—but he could not have her. so he tasted the deep pain that is reserved only for the strong, just as he had tasted for a little while the deep happiness.
b. it took place in new york, where he had done well—so well that there were no barriers too high for him. he was thirty - two years old, and, except for one flying trip immediately after the war, he had not been west in seven years.
c. dexter looked closely at devlin, thinking wildly that there must be a reason for this, some insensitivity in the man or some private malice.
d. he was one of those young thousands who greeted the war with a certain amount of relief, welcoming the liberation from webs of tangled emotion.

Explanation:

To determine which excerpt shows Dexter's disillusionment with love, we analyze each option:

• Option A: It describes Dexter's love for someone he can't have, experiencing deep pain (from unfulfilled love) after tasting deep happiness. This shows his disillusionment as love brings pain due to inability to attain the loved one.
• Option B: Talks about his success in New York, not related to love disillusionment.
• Option C: Focuses on Dexter's thoughts about Devlin, not love disillusionment.
• Option D: Discusses his reaction to the war, not love.

Answer:

A. He loved her, and he would love her until the day he was too old for loving—but he could not have her. So he tasted the deep pain that is reserved only for the strong, just as he had tasted for a little while the deep happiness.