F. Scott FitzgeraldTimeline

The Great Gatsby

Connections

1896

Sept. 24, 1896—Fitzgerald is born in St. Paul

Fitzgerald publishes his first piece at age 13 in the St. Paul Academy school newspaper—it is a detective piece

1909

1911-1913

Moves back east to attend Newman School, a Catholic prep school in New Jersey

Becomes member of Princeton Class of 1917, joins army instead of graduating due to academic probation

1917

June 1918

Assigned to Camp Sheridan near Montgomery, Alabama. Meets Zelda Sayre.

After being discharged from the army, Fitzgerald moves to NYC to seek fortune in order to marry Zelda. When he does not become successful, Zelda breaks the engagement.

1919

The publication of This Side of Paradise makes Fitzgerald a celebrity overnight; he and Zelda are married a week later in New York

March, 1920

Summer 1920

-Fitzgerald earns a reputation for creating fine literature and for being a playboy

-Writes his second novel The Beautiful and the Damned

After their first trip to Europe, the Fitzgeralds welcome their only child, Frances Scott, into the world in St. Paul

1921

Fitzgeralds go back to France; F.S.F. writes The Great Gatsby; Zelda allegedly has an affair with a French man

Spring, 1924

Fitzgeralds go back to Paris; The Great Gatsby is published; sales are not good, but critics love it

April, 1925

1926-1929

Fitzgerald tries writing a fourth novel (which he does not publish until 1934) and multiple screenplays, none make him much money

Zelda, who is training to be a dancer, suffers a breakdown; Fitzgerald sells short stories to pay for her psychiatric treatment

1930-1931

Zelda suffers another breakdown and enters Johns Hopkins Hospital; she spends the rest of her life as a resident or outpatient of mental hospitals

1932

1934

F.S.F. publishes Tender is the Night—financial upset and critically disputed

F.S.F. and his daughter live in hotels as he is unable to consistently pay for a mortgage or rent; soon Scottie is raised by friends so she can go to boarding school

1935-1937

Summer 1937

F.S.F. goes to Hollywood alone with a $1000/wk contract with MGM; contract renewed for a year at $1250/wk

F.S.F. falls in love with Sheilah Graham after many disastrous trips to visit Zelda

1938

Zelda dies in a fire in Highland Hospital

1948

1945-1950

Fitzgerald revival takes place; G.G. becomes a literary classic

F.S.F. dies of a heart attack in Graham’s apartment; dies believing he is a failure; obituaries are condescending

December 21, 1940