F. Scott Fitzgerald & F. Scott Fitzgerald & The The Great GatsbyGreat Gatsby

Early BiographyEarly Biography Sept 24,1896: Francis Scott Sept 24,1896: Francis Scott

Key Fitzgerald born in St. Key Fitzgerald born in St. Paul, MNPaul, MN

His parents were Mary His parents were Mary McQuillan, the daughter of McQuillan, the daughter of Irish immigrants, and Edward Irish immigrants, and Edward Fitzgerald, a salesman. Both Fitzgerald, a salesman. Both were Catholic.were Catholic.

Attended the St. Paul Attended the St. Paul Academy, then the Newman Academy, then the Newman School, a Catholic prep School, a Catholic prep school in New Jersey. school in New Jersey.

Scott & Zelda FitzgeraldScott & Zelda Fitzgerald On academic probation, On academic probation,

Fitzgerald joined the army Fitzgerald joined the army as a 2nd lieutenant in 1917.as a 2nd lieutenant in 1917.

June 1918: While on June 1918: While on assignment in Montgomery, assignment in Montgomery, AL, he fell in love with AL, he fell in love with Zelda Sayre, daughter of an Zelda Sayre, daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court Alabama Supreme Court judge.judge.

She broke off their She broke off their engagement in 1919 engagement in 1919 because she was unwilling because she was unwilling to live on Scott’s small to live on Scott’s small salary.salary.

http://www.pbs.org/kteh/amstorytellers/bios.html

Literary Career BeginningsLiterary Career Beginnings June 1919: Fitzgerald June 1919: Fitzgerald

returns to St. Paul, MN to returns to St. Paul, MN to rewrite his novel, rewrite his novel, This This Side of ParadiseSide of Paradise..

In the fall of that year, he In the fall of that year, he begins writing stories in begins writing stories in mass-circulation mass-circulation magazines. magazines.

He wrote many stories for He wrote many stories for the the Saturday Evening Saturday Evening Post Post describing the free-describing the free-thinking flappers of the thinking flappers of the 1920’s.1920’s.

Overnight FameOvernight Fame

March 26, 1920: March 26, 1920: This This Side of ParadiseSide of Paradise is is published, making the published, making the 24 year-old Fitzgerald 24 year-old Fitzgerald famous almost famous almost overnight. overnight.

One week later, he One week later, he marries Zelda Sayre marries Zelda Sayre in New York.in New York.

Extravagant LivingExtravagant Living

Scott & Zelda begin to Scott & Zelda begin to live as young live as young celebrities, socializing celebrities, socializing and drinking heavily. and drinking heavily.

They take their first They take their first trip to Europe in 1921.trip to Europe in 1921.

October 1921: Their October 1921: Their first and only child, first and only child, Frances Scott Frances Scott (Scottie) Fitzgerald is (Scottie) Fitzgerald is born.born.

Early Stumbling'sEarly Stumbling's

Fall, 1922: The young family Fall, 1922: The young family moves to Great Neck, NY, moves to Great Neck, NY, expecting to earn a lot of expecting to earn a lot of money from Scott’s play, money from Scott’s play, The The VegetableVegetable. .

1923: The play bombs, and 1923: The play bombs, and Scott has to write short Scott has to write short stories to get out of debt. stories to get out of debt.

Scott’s drinking increases. Scott’s drinking increases. He and Zelda fight often. He and Zelda fight often.

Gatsby is BornGatsby is Born Spring 1924: The Spring 1924: The

Fitzgeralds go to France. Fitzgeralds go to France. Summer 1924: Scott starts Summer 1924: Scott starts

writing writing The GreatThe Great GatsbyGatsby. . Zelda has a relationship Zelda has a relationship with a French pilot.with a French pilot.

Winter 1924-25: The Winter 1924-25: The Fitzgeralds go to Rome Fitzgeralds go to Rome where Scott revises where Scott revises GatsbyGatsby. .

April 1925. April 1925. GatsbyGatsby is is published. Critical reviews published. Critical reviews are positive, but sales are positive, but sales remain low.remain low.

Fitzgerald and the ExpatriatesFitzgerald and the Expatriates

During the mid 1920’s During the mid 1920’s in Paris, Fitzgerald in Paris, Fitzgerald becomes part of the becomes part of the group of expatriate group of expatriate American writers American writers which included Ernest which included Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Stein, and Ezra Pound. Pound.

Further EstrangementFurther Estrangement During the 1920’s, Scott and During the 1920’s, Scott and

Zelda’s relationship Zelda’s relationship continues to be strained due continues to be strained due to his drinking and her, to his drinking and her, schizophrenia, mental schizophrenia, mental instability. They live in instability. They live in Paris, the Riviera, and a Paris, the Riviera, and a mansion near Wilmington, mansion near Wilmington, DE. DE.

Even though Fitzgerald Even though Fitzgerald earns about $4,000 per earns about $4,000 per story (equal to about story (equal to about $40,000 today), he and $40,000 today), he and Zelda continue to run into Zelda continue to run into debt. debt.

1930’s1930’s The Fitzgeralds rent a The Fitzgeralds rent a

house in Montgomery, AL house in Montgomery, AL in 1931. Scott makes an in 1931. Scott makes an unsuccessful trip to unsuccessful trip to Hollywood; Zelda suffers Hollywood; Zelda suffers a mental breakdown in a mental breakdown in 1932 and is hospitalized.1932 and is hospitalized.

1936-37: Scott drinks, 1936-37: Scott drinks, gets into more debt, and gets into more debt, and lives in hotels near lives in hotels near Asheville, NC. Zelda Asheville, NC. Zelda enters a nearby hospital.enters a nearby hospital.

The Last YearsThe Last Years Summer 1937: Fitzgerald Summer 1937: Fitzgerald

goes to Hollywood with a goes to Hollywood with a screenwriting contract screenwriting contract earning $1,000/ week.earning $1,000/ week.

Despite earning $91,000 Despite earning $91,000 from MGM, he is unable to from MGM, he is unable to save any money.save any money.

1938: He falls in love with 1938: He falls in love with Sheilah Graham, a movie Sheilah Graham, a movie columnist.columnist.

Dec 21, 1940: Fitzgerald Dec 21, 1940: Fitzgerald dies of a heart attack in dies of a heart attack in Graham’s apartment.Graham’s apartment.

1948: Zelda dies in a fire 1948: Zelda dies in a fire at Highland Hospital.at Highland Hospital.

Fitzgerald’s DeathFitzgerald’s Death“On December 21, 1940 -- the Winter Solstice -- the author F.

Scott Fitzgerald jolted to his feet from a green armchair, grasped hold of a marble mantelpiece, and fell down dead of a massive heart attack. He was forty-four years old. His woman companion of three-and-a half years ran out into the hallway and began knocking frantically on doors of their small Hollywood apartment building on Laurel Avenue, just south of Sunset Boulevard, crying desperately for help. She refused to accept that Scott was dead, even later when the ambulance came, and a fire engine also, and a fireman stood over the body and shook his head.

The name of the woman was Sheilah Graham, Fitzgerald's last heroine -- a young, pretty Hollywood newspaper columnist.”

--Robert Westbrook, son of Sheilah Graham

Fitzgerald’s LegacyFitzgerald’s Legacy

Although Fitzgerald’s drinking gave him a reputation as an Although Fitzgerald’s drinking gave him a reputation as an irresponsible writer, he was a painstaking reviser. irresponsible writer, he was a painstaking reviser.

While he endured a lot of criticism just after his death, his While he endured a lot of criticism just after his death, his reputation grew in the 1960’s. reputation grew in the 1960’s.

Today, he is considered one of the great American novelists, Today, he is considered one of the great American novelists, and and The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby is considered his masterpiece. is considered his masterpiece.

Enduring AssociationsEnduring Associations Fitzgerald has become Fitzgerald has become

identified with the identified with the extravagant living of the extravagant living of the Jazz Age: Jazz Age: “ “It was an age of It was an age of miracles, it was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire.”and it was an age of satire.”

--F. Scott Fitzgerald--F. Scott Fitzgerald He felt that aspiration and He felt that aspiration and

idealism defined America idealism defined America and its people. and its people.

His writing style is known His writing style is known for being clear, lyrical, and for being clear, lyrical, and witty.witty.

Sources:Sources: www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html www.orionmcs1.freeservers.com/Fitzgerald-1.html www.rarebookonline.com/Fax_Jackets/thissideofparadise.jpgwww.rarebookonline.com/Fax_Jackets/thissideofparadise.jpg www.born-today.com/Today/09-24.htmwww.born-today.com/Today/09-24.htm www.zeldathemusical.com/fitzgeralds/index.aspwww.zeldathemusical.com/fitzgeralds/index.asp www.planetbunky.com/illustrations/zelda.htmlwww.planetbunky.com/illustrations/zelda.html www.ellisparkerbutler.info/epb/pic/v07/saturday_evening_post_1918_11_16_a.jpgwww.ellisparkerbutler.info/epb/pic/v07/saturday_evening_post_1918_11_16_a.jpg www.riverwalk.org/proglist/showpromo/1927_heart.htmwww.riverwalk.org/proglist/showpromo/1927_heart.htm