F. Scott Fitzgerald

1896 – 1940

F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography

• Fitzgerald was born into an upper middle class family.

• He split his childhood between New York and Minnesota.

• Fitzgerald attended three different preparatory schools before entering Princeton University in 1913.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography

• Fitzgerald was a mediocre student at best and spent more time in the Princeton Triangle Club (a campus theatre group) than he spent on his studies.

• In his senior year Fitzgerald dropped out of school rather than flunk out.

• Upon dropping out Fitzgerald enlisted in the United States Army after the United States entered World War I.

Art Imitates Life

• Stationed at Camp Sheridan (Alabama) Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre (1900 – 1948).

• Zelda was a member of Alabama society and the daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court judge.

• Fitzgerald took a job working in advertising after the war and became engaged to Zelda.

• Feeling that he could not support the two Zelda broke off the engagement.

Art Imitates Life

• Fitzgerald moved back to Minnesota to work on rejected novel The Romantic Egoist.

• He adapted the novel to This Side of Paradise.

• The novel was published and became one of the most popular novels of the year.

• Fitzgerald became an instant celebrity and resumed his engagement with Zelda.

What is the American dream?

Instant Celebrity

• In 1921 Frances Scott “Scottie” Fitzgerald was born.

• Having a child did not slow down the extravagant lifestyle that Zelda and Fitzgerald shared.

• Fitzgerald is credited with creating the term “The Jazz Age”, he and Zelda would attend wild parties and spend time with many popular celebrities of the time.

Modernists

• Fitzgerald was part of the Modernist movement.• Modernism = 1914 – 1945• Due to the war America had lost it’s innocence

– Literature was marked with the idea of living for the moment.

• Fitzgerald belonged to a group of authors known as the Expatriates. – These were American artists who disillusioned with

the break down of the American dream spent a considerable amount of time in Europe.

Would suddenly coming into a large

amount of money, such as winning the lottery, change your life? How so (or why wouldn’t it)?

The Great Gatsby

• The Great Gatsby is based partially on Fitzgerald’s own life. Connections can be made between Fitzgerald and the title character of Gatsby as well as the narrator of the story.

• The story takes place in 1922, during the roaring twenties.

Is it possible to get a second chance at life? To change the past or past decisions? Why /

Why not?