F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Recommended: Historical relevance to the Time Period of The Great Gatsby

“Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.”(Fitzgerald) Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald perhaps regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century, and also believed to be the hero in his own novels. During his lifetime he was continuously trying his best to be a great writer, but just like his commitment to his work, despair, constant discouragements and eventually death disrupted his passion. Despite having published only four novels and living a life of constant unfortunate events, Fitzgerald became one of the greatest, if not, the greatest American writer of the 20th century.
Even though FItzgeralds’ massive recognition came after his death, his four novels became his legacy and the influential tools for many. In 1920, his first novel This Side of Paradise made him famous almost overnight, it was his lift off to become a widely known writer. One year later in 1921, his second novel The Beautiful and the Damned was published. Three years laters Fitzgerald completed his best known work The Great Gatsby. His masterpiece, at the time of publication received critical appraise, but the sales were disappointing. Despite its inappreciable recognition at the time, The Great Gatsby, influenced many people like Don Birnam in the 1940s who believed that, “Theres no such thing … as a flawless novel. But if there is, this is it.” referring to The Great Gatsby. His fourth novel Tender is the Night didn't received such admiration. Critics claimed it to be Scotts downfall, the novel did not meet Fitzgeralds’ true potential and certainly did not live up to critics expectations. Regardless of all of his novels’ beginnings, they will rise in reputation significantly and will be vastly known by most american writers and readers...

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...m every time. “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”

Works Cited
Adams, Michael, and Adams Michael. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Great Lives From History: The Twentieth Century (2008): 1.Biography Reference Center. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Byers, Paula K. "Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. N. pag. Print.
"F. Scott Fitzgerald." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1996. Print.
McMahon, Thomas. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Authors & Artists for Young Adults. Michigan: Gale Research, 1998. N. pag. Print.
Mizener, Arthur. F. Scott Fitzgerald. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1987. Print.

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