The Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald 1896 1940

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940)

Background Information The 1920’s • World War I ended in 1918 – America becomes a stronger, more powerful nation • after the war, people were full of energy • had been in a repression due to a formerly poor economy – money was saved for possible hard times because of the war – now that the war was over, protest and violence followed • National prohibition and the “witch hunt” against anyone who disagreed with the majority of Americans provided fuel to keep the rebellion going.

• Prohibition (1919 – 1933) – the restricted sale and use of liquor – original purpose was to abolish saloons which were thought to be immoral and dangerous to society – brought about bootleggers • people who made and sold liquor illegally – they often ran drugstores and other “front” businesses just to sell liquor

• The Roaring Twenties – a carefree time of wild parties, illegal drinking, extravagant lifestyles • especially for the young people in America – a time of change in fashion and music • “The Jazz Age” • use of saxophone

• Literature of the 1920’s – also showed a mood of rebellion with alarming topics – more freedom in language and descriptions – new and freer attitudes toward the representation of sex

F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography • born in St. Paul, Minnesota • spent four years at Princeton, left before graduating to join the army during WWI • first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920) an autobiographical piece that made him temporarily rich and famous • later in 1920, married Zelda Sayre – she was also an aspiring writer

• they lived an extravagant life in New York City and Fitzgerald tried to support them with writing • 1924 they moved to Europe – because it was cheaper to live there – he met Ernest Hemingway • published The Great Gatsby (1925) which was a critical success but not a financial success

• problems: – debts – alcoholism – first of Zelda’s mental breakdowns (1930) • returned to U. S. and wrote Tender is the Night (1934) which led to his own breakdown • wrote screen plays for Hollywood (1937 -1940) – Zelda confined to a mental hospital in North Carolina