How Did Ginevra King Influence The Great Gatsby

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Ginevra King

Ginevra King was a beautiful and wealthy debutante from Lake Forest, with whom Fitzgerald had a romantic relationship from 1915 to 1917. Fitzgerald’s first encounter with King was during his Christmas vacation in St. Paul Minnesota, January 1915. At the time, she was a student at the Westover women's preparatory school in Middlebury, Connecticut.

Weekly letters between the couple show significant influences in Fitzgerald’s works. King wrote in her diary: "Scott came in afternoon. It was so wonderful to see him again. I am madly in love with him. He is so wonderful… Marvelous time." (King) as well as "Oh Scott why aren't we somewhere else tonight? Why aren't we at a dance in summer now with a full moon, a big lovely garden and …show more content…

Mitchell, King continued to be a quintessence for luring, powerful and upper-class women, unobtainable by individuals of a lower social class like Fitzgerald. This lasted even after Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre, a Jazz Age Flapper who later became his wife. "Arguably, Ginevra was a model for Daisy Buchanan in 'The Great Gatsby' and is recognizable in many other characters." (Skemer)

The final letter exchanged by the two had to do with King’s marriage to Mitchell on July 21, 1918. It was sent from Camp Sheridan, near Montgomery, Alabama. Fitzgerald wrote: "This is to congratulate you -- I don't know Billy Mitchell, but from all I've heard of him he must be one of the best ever. Doesn't it make you sigh with relief to be settled and think of all the men you escaped marrying?"

Prior to discovering the letters, we had to rely on Fitzgerald’s interpretation, pictures or characters based on King in his fiction. Nevertheless, she proves to be more of an intelligent person than described. Furthermore, their relationship perceived as one-sided was very affectionate and passionate.

Fitzgerald had all the letters transcribed. It is thought that he potentially wanting them for dialogue. He had a habit keeping notebooks, prayers, sayings and journals, which he used in his writing.
Zelda

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