Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald
By Nishi Patel
Early Life
- He was born as Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- As a child he had to move back and forth from Buffalo and Syracuse due to his father's complex job arrangements.
- As a child, Fitzgerald was very bright and ambitious and already had one of his pieces of writing published in the school newspaper at age 13.
- At 15, he was sent to the Newman School in New Jersey where a teacher encouraged him to pursue his writing talents.
- In 1913, at age 17, he was admitted into Princeton University, where he dedicated himself more to writing: especially including the scripts for Princeton's famous Triangle Club and the university magazine.
The First World War
- He joined the US army in 1917 and decided to drop out of school. When he did, he fell in love at his commissioned post in Alabama with Zelda Sayre.
- Although regretting this occurrence for the rest of his life, he was never deployed and, at the time thankful due to his fear that he may never become a distinguished writer if he died during the war.
- When he proposed to Zelda, she gladly accepted, but there were some monetary complications, which prevented him from marrying her.
- He then returned to St. Paul: -- 1:46
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great American Dreamer part 2
And thus, his first true novel, This Side of Paradise was published.
- Instantly he became famous and finally believed he had enough money now to propose to Zelda, who accepted.
- The novel, published in 1920, received glowing reviews because of its relevance to the occurring events of the Jazz Age.
After Marriage
- After the publishing of the novel, he became one of America's most promising young writers at the age of 24.
- He married Zelda and had one child, Frances Scott Fitzgerald, in 1921.
- However, he too eagerly embraced his new celebrity lifestyle, earning him the name of playboy and crumbling his reputation as a serious writer.
His Works and Earning his Living
- Throughout these time periods, Fitzgerald mostly earned his salary by writing many short stories, until he created one amazing piece of literature.
- In 1922, he published The Beautiful and the Damned, and earned his status as one of the great satirists of the Jazz age. His novel talked of the troubled marriage between Anthony and Gloria Patch.
He wrote, "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."
- in 1924, after moving to France for a change in scenery, he produced his most famous literary work, The Great Gatsby. With its beautiful lyricism and perfect portrayal of the Jazz Age, it was well received.
- Its true achievement came in the 1950s and -60s though, when its true picture perfect impression of the "Roaring 20s" was realized.
Final Years
- After the publication of The Great Gatsby, his life went downhill. As he became a heavy alcoholic, he suffered writer's block for prolonged periods of time.
- Throughout this, his wife suffered mental issues, and, after moving back and forth from France to Delaware, Fitzgerald finally entered her into the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Finally in 1934, he published his fourth novel, Tender Is The Night, which, commercially failed horribly, even though it has gained much of a reputation since.
- Continuing his alcoholic addictions, he went back to Hollywood as a story-writer in freelance, which earned him a modest earning.
- In 1939, he began writing his last book, The Love of The Last Tycoon, which, unfortunately went half finished due to his early death on December 21, 1940 as the age of 44 in Hollywood, California.
His Death
- Since his novels did not receive more than the modest nod of recognition, he died thinking himself a failure.
- However, since his death, Fitzgerald's works have only escalated in literary worth posthumously.
- Much of his great reputation as one of the pre-eminent authors of US history has been earned by the magnificent success of The Great Gatsby, which is now more famous than ever and continues to influence generations throughout the years.
Now
- Now, his book The Great Gatsby is being read by many of the highschool students throughout the nation, and has even been created into a movie
The Great Gatsby (2013) - Official Trailer [HD]
Bibliography
MLA Format
- "F. Scott Fitzgerald." - Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2013
- "F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 03 June 2013
- "F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great American Dreamer Part 2." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 03 June 2013.
- "A Brief Life of Fitzgerald." A Brief Life of Fitzgerald. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2013