Dominant InfluencesDominant Influences

AspirationAspiration LiteratureLiterature Princeton UniversityPrinceton University Zelda Sayre FitzgeraldZelda Sayre Fitzgerald AlcoholAlcohol

Francis Scott Key FitzgeraldFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald 22ndnd cousin 3 times removed to the cousin 3 times removed to the

author of our nation’s national anthemauthor of our nation’s national anthem His name preserves his father’s His name preserves his father’s

patriotismpatriotism Born in St. Paul, MN on 9/24/1896Born in St. Paul, MN on 9/24/1896 Father, Edward was from Maryland and Father, Edward was from Maryland and

upheld his allegiance to the Old South upheld his allegiance to the Old South and its valuesand its values

Mother, Mary (Mollie) McQuillan, was the Mother, Mary (Mollie) McQuillan, was the daughter of an Irish immigrant who daughter of an Irish immigrant who became wealthy as a wholesale grocer became wealthy as a wholesale grocer in St. Paul. Both were Catholics. in St. Paul. Both were Catholics.

Princeton UniversityPrinceton University As a member of the Princeton Class of As a member of the Princeton Class of

1917, Fitzgerald neglected his studies for 1917, Fitzgerald neglected his studies for his literary apprenticeship. his literary apprenticeship.

He wrote the scripts and lyrics for the He wrote the scripts and lyrics for the Princeton Triangle Club musicals and was Princeton Triangle Club musicals and was a contributor to the a contributor to the Princeton TigerPrinceton Tiger humor humor magazine and the magazine and the Nassau Literary Nassau Literary MagazineMagazine. .

On academic probation and unlikely to On academic probation and unlikely to graduate, Fitzgerald joined the army in graduate, Fitzgerald joined the army in 1917 and was 1917 and was commissioned a second commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry. lieutenant in the infantry.

Zelda SayreZelda Sayre He met while He met while

stationed in Alabama, stationed in Alabama, the 18 yr old southern the 18 yr old southern belle, Zelda Sayre.belle, Zelda Sayre.

She was the affluent She was the affluent daughter of Alabama’s daughter of Alabama’s Supreme Court Justice.Supreme Court Justice.

Zelda broke their Zelda broke their engagement when engagement when Fitzgerald’s salary Fitzgerald’s salary could not afford the could not afford the lifestyle she was used lifestyle she was used to. to.

A Celebrity Couple A Celebrity Couple The publication of The publication of This Side of This Side of

ParadiseParadise on March 26, 1920, on March 26, 1920, made the twenty-four-year-old made the twenty-four-year-old Fitzgerald famous almost overnight, Fitzgerald famous almost overnight, and a week later he married Zelda and a week later he married Zelda Sayre in New York. Sayre in New York.

They embarked on an extravagant life They embarked on an extravagant life as young celebrities. as young celebrities.

Fitzgerald endeavored to earn a solid Fitzgerald endeavored to earn a solid literary reputation, but his playboy literary reputation, but his playboy image impeded the proper assessment image impeded the proper assessment of his work. of his work.

Francis Scott (Scottie) Francis Scott (Scottie) FitzgeraldFitzgerald

The couple’s only The couple’s only child, a girl- Francis child, a girl- Francis Scott Fitzgerald Scott Fitzgerald known as “Scottie” known as “Scottie” was born in was born in October of 1921.October of 1921.

In the fall of 1922 they moved to Great Neck, In the fall of 1922 they moved to Great Neck, Long Island, in order to be near Broadway. Long Island, in order to be near Broadway.

The distractions of Great Neck and New York The distractions of Great Neck and New York prevented Fitzgerald from making progress on prevented Fitzgerald from making progress on his third novel. his third novel.

During this time his drinking increased. He was During this time his drinking increased. He was an alcoholic, but he wrote sober. Zelda an alcoholic, but he wrote sober. Zelda Fitzgerald regularly got “tight,” but she was Fitzgerald regularly got “tight,” but she was not an alcoholic. There were frequent domestic not an alcoholic. There were frequent domestic rows, usually triggered by drinking bouts. rows, usually triggered by drinking bouts.

Fitzgerald, the AuthorFitzgerald, the Author Literary opinion makers were reluctant to Literary opinion makers were reluctant to

accord Fitzgerald full marks as a serious accord Fitzgerald full marks as a serious craftsman. craftsman.

His reputation as a drinker inspired the myth His reputation as a drinker inspired the myth that he was an irresponsible writer; yet he that he was an irresponsible writer; yet he was a painstaking reviser whose fiction went was a painstaking reviser whose fiction went through layers of drafts.through layers of drafts.

Fitzgerald’s clear, lyrical, colorful, witty Fitzgerald’s clear, lyrical, colorful, witty style evoked the emotions associated with style evoked the emotions associated with time and place. When critics objected to time and place. When critics objected to Fitzgerald’s concern with love and success, Fitzgerald’s concern with love and success, his response was: “But, my God! it was my his response was: “But, my God! it was my material, and it was all I had to deal with.” material, and it was all I had to deal with.”

The chief theme of Fitzgerald’s work The chief theme of Fitzgerald’s work is aspiration, the idealism he is aspiration, the idealism he regarded as defining American regarded as defining American character.character.

Another major theme was mutability Another major theme was mutability or loss. or loss.

As a social historian Fitzgerald As a social historian Fitzgerald became identified with the Jazz Age: became identified with the Jazz Age: “It was an age of miracles, it was an “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire,” he wrote and it was an age of satire,” he wrote in “in “Echoes of the Jazz Age.Echoes of the Jazz Age.” ”

The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby

THE GREAT GATSBY (1925) was (1925) was less popular than Fitzgerald's less popular than Fitzgerald's early works, but it was his early works, but it was his masterpiece and the first of masterpiece and the first of three successive novels that give three successive novels that give him lasting literary importance. him lasting literary importance. The lively yet deeply moral novel The lively yet deeply moral novel centers around Jay Gatsby, a centers around Jay Gatsby, a wealthy bootlegger. It presents a wealthy bootlegger. It presents a penetrating criticism of the penetrating criticism of the moral emptiness Fitzgerald saw moral emptiness Fitzgerald saw in wealthy American society of in wealthy American society of the 1920's. the 1920's.

Seeking tranquility for his work the Seeking tranquility for his work the Fitzgeralds went to France in the Fitzgeralds went to France in the spring of 1924 . spring of 1924 .

He wrote He wrote The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby during during the summer and fall in Valescure the summer and fall in Valescure near St. Raphael, but his marriage near St. Raphael, but his marriage was damaged by Zelda’s was damaged by Zelda’s involvement with a French naval involvement with a French naval aviator. aviator.

On the Riviera the Fitzgeralds formed On the Riviera the Fitzgeralds formed a close friendship with  affluent and a close friendship with  affluent and cultured American expatriates Gerald cultured American expatriates Gerald and Sara Murphy. and Sara Murphy.

The Celebrity Couple’s FallThe Celebrity Couple’s Fall Fitzgerald turned to alcohol to ease his Fitzgerald turned to alcohol to ease his

troubles while Zelda had a breakdown troubles while Zelda had a breakdown and was put in a mental hospital.and was put in a mental hospital.

Their daughter, Scottie was sent to Their daughter, Scottie was sent to boarding school and Fitzgerald boarding school and Fitzgerald supported her education financially supported her education financially and corresponded through mail.and corresponded through mail.

Fitzgerald fell in love with another Fitzgerald fell in love with another woman, Sheilah Graham a movie woman, Sheilah Graham a movie columnist. columnist.

The Couple’s DeathThe Couple’s Death

Fitzgerald died of a massive heart Fitzgerald died of a massive heart attack in his mistress’ apartment.attack in his mistress’ apartment.

Zelda later died in a fire at the Zelda later died in a fire at the mental hospital she was confined to. mental hospital she was confined to.

Fitzgerald’s LegacyFitzgerald’s Legacy

    F. Scott Fitzgerald died believing himself F. Scott Fitzgerald died believing himself a failure. a failure.

The obituaries were condescending, and The obituaries were condescending, and he seemed destined for literary obscurity.he seemed destined for literary obscurity.

By 1960 he had achieved a secure place By 1960 he had achieved a secure place among America’s enduring writers. among America’s enduring writers.

The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby, a work that seriously , a work that seriously examines the theme of aspiration in an examines the theme of aspiration in an American setting, defines the classic American setting, defines the classic American novel. American novel.

Culture of the 1920sCulture of the 1920s

World War I – ended in 1918 – disillusioned because of the war and the nineteenth century values that helped cause it, the generation that fought and survived has come to be called the “lost generation”

American seemed to throw itself into a decade of materialism, a decade that has come to be called the Roaring Twenties

Jazz AgeJazz Age

Jazz broke the rules of music – it became a sort of musical rebellion

Women demanded the right to vote, right to work outside the home – women symbolically “bobbed” their hair, bared her calves – sleek skirts of the fashionable twenties – “flapper”

CultureCulture

18th amendment – Prohibition – banned alcohol sales from 1919 until 1933 –gangsters illegally sold alcohol

Illegal gambling 8 members of the Chicago White Sox

were indicted for accepting bribes to throw baseball’s World Series

Culture-Consumption/ Culture-Consumption/ ConsumerismConsumerism

Era of reckless spending, conspicuous consumption – the most conspicuous – the automobile – advertising was becoming a major industry – huge billboards were set up at the sides of highways

CharactersCharacters Nick Carraway: Narrator of the novel. A

young man from the Midwest (Minnesota) who moves to New York to work in the bond business after having been educated at Yale and having served in World War I.

Jay Gatsby: Title character and protagonist of the novel. Also from the Midwest, he moved to Long Island after attaining great wealth and began to throw lavish parties

CharactersCharacters

Daisy Buchanan: Nick’s cousin. Dated Gatsby as a young woman in Louisville, KY. before the war. Married to Tom Buchanan

Tom Buchanan: Daisy’s immensely wealthy husband and a friend of Nick’s from Yale.

Jordan Baker: Daisy’s friend and a professional golfer. She dates Nick during the novel.

Myrtle Wilson: Tom’s mistress and the wife of garage mechanic George.

George Wilson: Tom’s garage mechanic.

Gatsby ThemesGatsby Themes

Theme: the corruption of the American dream – (because Americans have been corrupted by the desire for wealth) –

Defined: the belief that every man may pursue and attain his chosen goals because America is the land of opportunity limited only by the limit’s of one’s dream (will tie into last chapter)

Gatsby ThemesGatsby Themes

Sight and insightSight and insight AppearanceAppearance East and west (experience and East and west (experience and

innocence)innocence) Decay/loss of Decay/loss of

innocence/disillusionmentinnocence/disillusionment Title: The Great GatsbyTitle: The Great Gatsby

Gatsby SymbolsGatsby Symbols The green lightThe green light The eyes of Dr. T. J. EckleburgThe eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg The valley of ashesThe valley of ashes The owl-eyed manThe owl-eyed man CarsCars Parties/alcoholParties/alcohol Colors!!!Colors!!! Places!!!Places!!! Gatsby’s house, library, clothesGatsby’s house, library, clothes