Voice of an Era the Roaring 20s F

Voice of an Era (the Roaring 20’s) F. Scott Fitzgerald

The 1920 s: The Jazz Age “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire. ” -F. Scott Fitzgerald

The 1920 s: The Jazz Age • Most serious indictment of the American Dream • Aftermath of World War II – Attitude toward life has changed – Confusion between the spiritual and material • God is money

The Early Years • Named after relative, Francis Scott Key • Born in Minnesota • Attended prep school in New Jersey, then Princeton in 1913 • So absorbed in the Triangle (a musical comedy society) he was “invited” to repeat his junior year • Went back to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he fell in love with a wealthy socialite. . .

His First “Dream Girl” It was his birthday [Sept. 24 th] when he met and fell in love with a beautiful rich girl named Ginevra King. She got engaged to somebody else because Fitzgerald didn’t have many prospects. He later said, “She was the first girl I ever loved … [and] she ended up by throwing me over with the most supreme boredom and indifference. ”

Zelda Sayre: “The top girl” • Returned to Princeton, still a mediocre student; • In 1917 left Princeton to enlist in WWI • Went to Camp Sheridan where he met Zelda Sayre

She loves me. . . She loves me not • Zelda, daughter of Alabama Supreme Court justice and “top girl” of youth society • Became engaged; he went to New York • She broke off the engagement because she was not convinced he could support her • This Side of Paradise was published in 1920; she married him

Fitzgerald: The incurable romantic

1925 - The Great Gatsby • The money and fame enabled him to make several trips to Europe • Became friends with expatriate community in Paris, especially with Hemingway

Hemingway “Strikes” Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast had some chapters about Fitzgerald and Zelda, whom Hemingway did not like. He created the legend that Zelda was Fitzgerald’s downfall, the ruin of a great American writer.

Scott and Zelda: An Unhappy ending • Zelda developed schizophrenia in 1930 • She was hospitalized in Maryland • She wrote her fictional account of their lives together in Europe (Save Me the Waltz) • Fitzgerald was able to convince Scribner to change the content

Taking Care of Zelda. . . Fitzgerald’s last complete novel, Tender is the Night, came out in 1934. It is the story of man’s care for a woman at the outset of mental illness. The novel received mixed reviews.

The Last Years: Doomed to Obscurity • Fitzgerald felt like he was doing “hack” work in Hollywood; disliked writing for movie studios but did for money • Fitzgerald was living with his lover, a Hollywood gossip columnist • A heavy alcoholic since college, he suffered two heart attacks and died at 44. • Zelda died in a fire in an Asheville, NC, mental hospital. • The year of his death, Fitzgerald’s books sold a total of 72 copies, for royalties of $13.

A Great Book: The Great Gatsby Today, The Great Gatsby sells 300, 000 copies a year. “There’s no such thing. . . as a flawless novel. But if there is, this is it. ” from Charles Jackson’s The Lost Weekend

The Great Gatsby: The Movie

What You Need to Know • Jay Gatsby was a young officer who falls in love with a beautiful young socialite, Daisy. • But while he is away at World War I, she is wooed and won by Tom Buchanan. She admits she did not wait for Jay because he was not rich. • His wealth gained, Jay buys a mansion across the harbor from Daisy, hoping to recapture the past.

The Great Gatsby Celebration of youth, beauty, and money A world of illusions The New American Dream Illusion versus Reality

Themes in the Novel • The Corruption of the American Dream • Hope • Paradox • Self-Discovery • Illusion versus Reality • Possessiveness and Jealousy

The Corruption of the American Dream – Early European settlers believed one could start a new life here, limited only by the limits of one’s dreams. – Jay Gatsby personifies the “extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness” that is the hallmark of the American dream. – Gatsby believes the American dream be bought. The other characters are corrupted by that same belief to some degree. – He believes the past can be recaptured.

Symbol A symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention.

Symbolism in the Novel 1. Nick’s career vs. Gatsby’s career 2. Unread books 3. Valley of Ashes 4. the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg 5. Rain 6. Dan Cody 7. East vs. West Egg 8. Heat 9. Wolfsheim’s cufflinks, 10. Gatsby’s faded timetable, 11. Gatsby’s car and clothing.

Gatsby’s Career Versus Nick’s Career Gatsby made his money as a bootlegger while Nick made his money as a bondsman. Compare these two jobs. What is symbolic of each job and what it takes to achieve success in each career.

Gatsby’s Unread Books • Gatsby has a library of untouched books. None of them have been read. Why are these books important to Gatsby?

Important Symbols: East Egg Versus West Egg

Old Money Versus New Money East Egg vs. West Egg What is symbolic in the differences between old money and new money? How does new money vs. old money allow people to “clean up” their messes?

East Egg Versus West Egg • East Egg: Where people with “Old Money” lived – Considered my legitimate wealth – What everyone wants; values – Say they don’t know anyone in West Egg – Daisy and Tom live there

Important Symbols East Egg Versus West Egg: Where people with “New Money” live; Gatsby lives here. – Considered “trashy” because they got their wealth too easily and probably illegally – Spend money too freely – World of illusioncollapse of America idealism

Important Symbols: The Valley of Ashes • Road between East Egg and West Egg • Compared to a wasteland; vapid, empty • Home of the poor, working class people – Home of George and Myrtle Wilson (Tom’s mistress)

Important Symbols: The billboard The Eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg An optometrist’s billboard that features enormous and weather-worn eyes They “look down upon the Valley of Ashes. ” - They are “the eyes of God”

Owl Eyes What do owls symbolize? What about large glasses? Or magnifying glasses? Place these together. What could the owl-eyed man be symbolic of (think about this in terms of Gatsby’s life)?

Dan Cody • Who is Dan Cody? How was he important to Gatsby’s life? What is he symbolic of in terms of an influence to Gatsby?

Heat • In chapter seven, the characters are faced with a day of intense heat. What can heat symbolize? What effect can heat have on people?

Wolfsheim’s Cufflinks This is one of the most interesting symbols in the novel. What could these cufflinks made of molars symbolize? What words could you use to describe these cufflinks if you saw them on someone in public? Think about the character that is wearing them: a powerful, wealthy, Jewish man. Is he refined? Where would he belong, West Egg or East Egg?

Gatsby’s Faded Timetable • In Chapter Nine, Gatsby’s father finds a faded timetable in his book. This timetable outlined the events of his day including: rise from bed, dumbbell exercises, study electricity, work, baseball and sports, poise and how to attain it, study needed inventions…. • With your understanding of Gatsby’s character, what could this timetable symbolize?

Important Symbols: The American Automobile • Symbol of power, money, and success • Status symbol

Color Symbolism Red: energy, passion, love, speed, strength, heat, fire, blood, war, violence, danger Pink: love, romance, and excitement Ivory: unification, quiet, pleasant, calm and simple Yellow: joy, betrayal, hope, sunshine, dishonesty, jealousy, illness, gold, hazard Blue: peace, cold, calm, unity, truth, confidence, security, cleanliness, loyalty, sky, water, depression, appetite supressent

Color Symbolism Green: nature, environment, healthy, renewal, youth, generosity, fertility, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor. White: reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, precision, innocence, youth, winter, good, sterility, marriage, death, cold. Black: power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, mourning, death

Important Symbols: The Green Light • Light at the end of Daisy’s pier • Green=renewal, new life (when he gets Daisy), hope

The Color White What does the color white symbolize? Who is wearing white the first time we are introduced to them? How is this appropriate?

Silver and Gold There is a point in chapter four where Daisy is taken through Gatsby’s house and he shows her his wardrobe. When Daisy sees all of Gatsby’s silver and gold colored shirts, she begins to cry. What about these shirts made her cry? What do the colors silver and gold symbolize?