F. Scott Fitzgerald

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F. Scott Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Fitzgerald's life is an example of both sides of the American Dream, the joys of young love, wealth and success, and the tragedies associated with success and failure. Named for another famous American, a distant cousin who authored the Star Spangled Banner, Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul Minnesota on September 24, 1896. The son of a wicker furniture salesman (Edward Fitzgerald) and an Irish immigrant with a lot of money (Mary McQuillan), Fitzgerald grew up in a Catholic and upper middle class environment.
Fitzgerald started writing at an early age. His high school newspaper published his detective stories, encouraging him to pursue writing more than academics. He dropped out of Princeton University to join the army and continued to pursue his obsession.
At 21 years of age, he submitted his first novel for publication and Charles Scribner's Sons rejected it, but with words of encouragement. Beginning a pattern of constant revising that would characterize his writing style for the rest of his career. The U.S. army, stationed him near Montgomery, Alabama in 1918, where he met and fell in love with Zelda Sayre.
Three years into marriage, after the birth of their first and only child, Scottie, Fitzgerald completed his best-known work: "The Great Gatsby." The extravagant living made possible by such success, however, took its toll. Constantly living at various times in several different cities in Italy, France, Switzerland, and eight of the United States, the Fitzgeralds tried hard to escape from or do something about Scott's alcoholism and Zelda's mental illness. Zelda suffered several breakdowns in both her physical and mental health, and sought treatment in and out of clinics from 1930 until her death.
Things were looking up for Fitzgerald near the end of his life - he won a contract in 1937 to write for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Hollywood and fell in love with Sheilah Graham, a movie columnist.

F. Scott Fitzgerald
565 Words | 2 Pages
F. Scott Fitzgerald studied at Newman School, a Catholic prep school found in New Jersey (“F. Scott Fitzgerald” St. James). Fitzgerald played for their football team (“F. Scott Fitzgerald” American). He spent two years at the Newman School then enrolled at Princeton in 1913. He was placed on academic probation in 1917 and figured that it was highly unlikely for him to graduate. So he left Princeton and went to the Army (“F. Scott Fitzgerald” St. James).
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A Comparison Of The Novels Of The Great Gatsby And Judy Fitzgerald
1119 Words | 3 Pages
F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda had only one child, a daughter named Scottie in 1921. Not much is known about Scottie and her relationship with her parents, besides that she traveled with them frequently. This is similar to Daisy’s emotional distance with her daughter. In The Great Gatsby Daisy talks about her experience after giving birth to her daughter: “It’ll show you how I’ve gotten to feel about – things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was, God knows where.
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Zelda Fitzgerald Biography Essay
1415 Words | 3 Pages
Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald, lived an extravagant life. Her life may not have been well known in the same way that her husbands was, but many people still knew of her nonetheless. Fitzgerald was born on July 24, 1900 in Montgomery, Alabama. Her family was rather well known throughout the government. Fitzgerald’s father, Anthony Dickinson Sayre, served on the Supreme Court of Alabama. Zelda’s great-uncle and grandfather served in the United States Senate. Her mother was Minnie Buckner Machen Sayre. Fitzgerald was the youngest among her five siblings. During her adolescence, she was a dancer. She also challenged the normal things a teenage girl her age would do by drinking, smoking, and socializing with boys. She
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Gatsby Rough Draft
1013 Words | 3 Pages
Fitzgerald, of course, was an author, so the reason behind the book being written was that he hoped to gain popularity and earn money, which he successfully accomplished. To Fitzgerald, the novel was a "consciously artistic achievement" and allowed him to achieve his goals of status and revenue, even though the fame came slightly after he might have hoped.
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The Life & Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald
561 Words | 2 Pages
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota. There, he attended Saint Paul Academy where his passion for writing began. At thirteen, he completed his first story that was published in the Academy’s newspaper. Later, Fitzgerald moved to New Jersey and attended the Newman school for two years from 1911 to 1913. Fitzgerald went on to attend Princeton University; there he wrote scripts and lyrics for the musicals performed at the University. He also contributed greatly to the Princeton Tiger and Nassau Literary Magazines.
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American Flapper Analysis
1437 Words | 3 Pages
Fitzgerald was gaining notoriety. It was said to be a representation of the free lifestyle and relaxed morals of what became known as the "Lost Generation.” This couple “personified the immense lure of the East, of young fame, of dissolution and early death.” (Milford, 2011, p. 6) She was said to be his muse, but there was also talk that he plagiarized much of his writing from her journals. In addition, to inspiring his major heroines, she supplied him with many other memorable lines. “Much has been written on Zelda Fitzgerald as F. Scott Fitzgerald's muse and as a victim of mental illness.” (Grogan, 2015, p.110) Zelda was considered an embodiment of the Jazz Age (1920-1929), and had a very tumultuous, substance abuse filled life with Mr.
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Examining Cultural Conflicts: Arrow of God and District 9
1003 Words | 3 Pages
It seems to be Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is the idea of natural selection through sociology and politics. It attempts to reform society through state intervention or other means. The poor were the “unfit” and should not be aided and wealth was a sign of success ("Social Darwinism”). In both stories we see a “government” type swoop in and try to change things and expect the people who already are there to live this way. In Arrow of God, the Christian missionaries are the ones who come into Umuaro and try to convince the villages to believe in their god and live in a certain way. In District 9, the MNU raids the prawn’s district and are forcing them to move to new homes and live the way they say so. Both reflect Social Darwinism. Politics have been forced upon both worlds and there is a sense of natural selection ("Social Darwinism”). If the Umuaro people do not start believing the Christian way, then their resources are limited. If the prawn’s do not move to this new camp, then they are killed. It’s always a lose-lose for the
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F. Scott Fitzgerald's American Dream
1653 Words | 4 Pages
“Riding in a taxi one afternoon between very tall buildings under a mauve and rosy sky; I began to bawl because I had everything I wanted and knew I would never be so happy again.”(Fitzgerald). F. Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota, into a very prestigious, catholic family. Edward, his father, was from Maryland, and had a strong allegiance to the Old South and its values. Fitzgerald’s mother, Mary, was the daughter of an Irish immigrant who became wealthy as a wholesale grocer in St. Paul. His upbringing, affected much of his writing career. Half the time F. Scott Fitzgerald thought of himself as the “heir of his father's tradition, which included the author of The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key, after whom he was named” (F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography). The other half the time he acted as “straight 1850 potato-famine Irish” (F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography). Consequently, he had typically indecisive feelings about American life, which seemed to him at once “vulgar and dazzlingly promising” (F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography). This idea is expressed in much of Fitzgerald’s writing. From an early age he had an “intensely romantic imagination” (F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography); he longed for a life of passion, fame and luxury.
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Essay On Zelda Fitzgerald
837 Words | 2 Pages
Secondly, following the completion of high school, Zelda met a gentleman by the name of F. Scott Fitzgerald, at a country club dance, in 1918. Fitzgerald, at the time, was an Army officer stationed in Camp Sheridan (“Zelda Fitzgerald” n.p.). Fitzgerald was, instantly, drawn towards her (Shmoop Editorial Team n.p.). Fitzgerald, eventually, was discharged from the Army and moved back to New York (“The Legend of Zelda” n.p.). That was the moment he decided to propose to Zelda (Shmoop Editorial Team n.p.). Zelda and her family knew, though, that Fitzgerald lacked the finances needed to support Zelda or, potentially, a family so Zelda declined. Fitzgerald knew he was not the only one who wanted to pursue a romance with Zelda. Determined to reach his goals of accomplishing a relationship with Zelda and gaining financial stability, he decided to write his first book – This Side of Paradise (“Zelda Fitzgerald” n.p.).
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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
928 Words | 2 Pages
Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He attended Princeton University, but flunked out and joined the US army. While in the army, he met the love of his life Zelda. Zelda refused to commit to him without him having a steady job. After being discharged, he moved to New York City to pursue a career of advertising. After only a few months, he returned to St. Paul to continue his writing career. His first novel's success made him famous and let him marry the woman he loved. His recently found fame gave him a bad reputation that made some people see him as less than a serious literary genius. The Fitzgeralds enjoyed fame and fortune, and the characters in The Great Gatsby closely resemble these characteristics. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is very wealthy and successful, which is what Fitzgerald strived for his entire life. The life Fitzgerald led and the life he wished to lead is reflected in the extravagant life of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby and Fitzgerald were also similar in their devotion to their lovers. Although Zelda spent her final years in an asylum, Fitzgerald continued to be loyal to her. Gatsby spent his entire trying to win back the love of his life, even when things seemed hopeless.
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F. Scott Fitzgerald
923 Words | 2 Pages
In 1896, F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on September twenty-fourth. Fitzgerald was named after the author of the “Star Spangled Banner” (LitFinder). He was the only child of Edward and Mollie McQuillan Fitzgerald, and he is Irish by ancestry(McMahon 89). According to Matthew Bruccoli, while Edward was a provincial aristocrat, his mother Mollie, was a “straight 1850 potato –famine Irish” (Bruccoli). Fitzgerald ended up moving to New Jersey in 1911 to obtain an education at Newman College Preparatory School. Two years later he transferred to Princeton University. After schooling, Fitzgerald became a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, but he never saw war. Instead of entering line of duty in WWI, he was assigned to stay at camp Sheridan. It was at this camp where he met his wife Zelda (LitFinder). While she and Fitzgerald were engaged, he tried to succeed in the advertisement business; however, Zelda, unwilling to wait for him to succeed, broke off the engagement (Bruccoli). Then in 1919 he published, This side of Paradise. This novel allowed Fitzgerald to become a well known literary figure. One year later he married Z...
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The Roman Senate In The Roman Republic
1161 Words | 3 Pages
When one thinks of the Roman Republic one cannot help but think of the Roman Senate. The Senate was supposedly created by Romulus who was the mythical first king of Rome who may or may not have existed. (notes) At this point the Senate had very little power and was simply an advisory body of 300 senators. (notes) The senators were referred to as patres (fathers) and made up the patrician class. (notes) In 509 bc the last king of Rome was overthrown by the Senate. The Senate then took responsibility for defending Rome. Created the consuls to replace the kings. (notes) Saw themselves as the true representatives of the Roman people. (notes) Was seen as the representatives of the Roman people until the breakdown of the census. (notes) In 121 the Senate passed the senatus consultum ultitum. which means
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Childhood Influences Impact the Writing of F. Scott Fitzgerald
1035 Words | 3 Pages
On Wednesday February 12 of 1890 F. Scott Fitzgerald's parents were married in Washington D.C. Six years later on September 24, 1896 Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born at his home 481 Laurel Ave. in St. Paul, Minnesota. His two infant older sisters had died from a violent influenza so that by the time Fitzgerald came along Mollie Fitzgerald had become the proverbial nightmare that known as an overprotective mother. Fitzgerald's mother was no traditional mother though, for she was known for her eccentricities. These eccentricities disturbed young Scott's life, "Fitzgerald later described his mother as 'half insane with pathological nervous worry'" (Bruccoli 15), but nothing worried anyone in the family so much as his father's failure to hold down a job. It was because his father lost his job as a wicker furniture manufacturer and salesman the family was forced to move from St. Paul to Buffalo in April of 1898, where his father began work for Proctor and Gamble. In January of 1901 the family moved from Buffalo to Syracuse where Edward had been transferred by his employer and where, on Sunday July 21, 1901 Scott's younger sister Annabel was born. Just two years later the family was back in Buffalo and just five years after that the family had returned to St. Paul and Grandma McQuillan's money.
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The Failures and Succeses of F. Scott Fitzgerald
743 Words | 2 Pages
At the tender age of thirteen, Fitzgerald attended the St. Paul Academy. The boring aspects of academics, perhaps, could be the reason Fitzgerald got so into his writing hobby. The academy saw his potential and mistakenly encouraged his passion for writing over his schoolwork. His writing was also strongly encouraged by his mentor, Father Sigourney Fay, at the catholic prep school he began attending at the age of fifteen.
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Textual Analysis Of The Great Gatsby
947 Words | 2 Pages
Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Mollie McQuillan, the daughter of an Irish immigrant (Fitzgerald, Bruccoli and Baughman, 1994) and charming businessman, Edward Fitzgerald (Martin, 1985). Fitzgerald was christened ‘Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’, in honour of his second cousin, Francis Scott Key, (Ibid, 2004). Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown. Key famously wrote the lyrics to the United States ' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Weybright, 2007). Fitzgerald 's mother, Mollie McQuillan, made her fortune in the wholesale grocery business (Pelzer, 2000). Fitzgerald’s father, Edward, although a businessman, Edward experienced only borderline financial success (Magill, 1999). The Fitzgerald family lived contentedly on the outskirts of the city 's most fashionable residential neighborhood, Summit Avenue, in a modest house, which was described by F. Scott Fitzgerald as “a house below the average on a street above the average” (Kane, 1976). The house has now been listed a National Historic Landmark for its association with the author of The Great Gatsby (National Historic Landmarks Program, 2007). The Fitzgeralds were supported largely and owed a lot to the liberality of the McQuillan family (Ibid,
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F. Scott Fitzgerald