Examples Of Modernism In The Great Gatsby
“The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.” F. Scott Fitzgerald was a defining author of Modernism. From 1914-1946 Modernism was a big part of the times cultural trends and experimenting with everything from styles to writings to science. Flappers, parties, gangsters, love, and tragedy all influenced Fitzgerald greatly because he lived it. Most of Fitzgerald's books and stories are about love and tragedy. This shows his view on the feelings and how he felt towards his own wife, Zelda, and the people he has encountered. Although he had a passion for storytelling, he struggled in writing and spelling. His dyslexia did not help either, and he nearly failed out of Princeton University, if it wasn't for him
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being drafted into the military. Though the struggle with his dyslexia and poor spelling, it pushed him to try harder to succeed. HIs stories are about his age. What he noticed and felt during the Roaring 20s. His wife had a great impression on his writing characters. She was a flapper. Always smoking and drinking in public. She loved the attention and fame and so did F. Scott Fitzgerald.
“A Few Words About F. Scott Fitzgerald” - Scott Donaldson, he talks about how much time Fitzgerald wasted. Instead of writing he was partying, getting caught up in the moment of being in the public's eye. Donaldson continues to say that Fitzgerald wanted approval from men and women and that he did not take rejection very well. He was also very distracted by the lifestyle he lived and his wife, Zelda. I agree with this critique to a certain point. I feel he was not distracted. I think that all of the partying he did and all of his fame inspired a lot of his writings. However, I do agree that the characters in his books and stories come from himself and other people he has encountered.
Donaldson states that Fitzgerald was known as “the chronicler of the jazz age, or the artist in spite of himself, or the most prevalent stereotype of all- the writer as a burnt-out case.” He was a very popular person. His wife was very well-known as well. She was always at parties, in dance clubs, and in the public's eye. In the story The Great Gatsby, NIck Carraway’s characteristics match Fitzgerald's in the sense that they couldn't make it as a writer, (Fitzgerald 10). Fitzgerald spent time he could have been writing books and novels, in clubs and at parties with women. “There is an arresting poignancy in the way the two of them- Scott more than Zelda perhaps- considered the alternatives and chose the sweet poison.” Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda were very much alike- they loved attention. That became a never ending problem for the both of them that resulted in Fitzgerald becoming a raging alcoholic and as for Zelda, she was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Even though they had their own problems, they still were infatuated with each other and Fitzgerald moved near every hospital Zelda was issued in.
Even the ones out of the country. Jay Gatsby and Daisy feel the same way that Fitzgerald and zelda feel. They know that odds are against them but they still choose each other. “Oh, you want to much! she cried to Gatsby. I love you now isn't that enough?” (Fitzgerald 264-266). Daisy says this to Gatsby in hope that he will look past the fact that Daisy married another man. Maybe Fitzgerald took this from his own relationship with Zelda. The critique also says that Fitzgerald “was an overweening compulsion to please.” He felt the need to impress or please both men and woman. Fitzgerald did not do to great to great with the men, women swooned over his handsome looks and ability to capture to woman's eye with his stories. All of these women getting thrown at Fitzgerald made it easy for him to have affairs. Which he did often to Zelda. “And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart, I love her all the time.” (Fitzgerald 251-252). This is exactly how Fitzgerald felt towards Zelda, just like Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald always had love for zelda no matter how many affairs he had.
The lifestyle flappers, parties, gangsters, love and tragedy had a huge influence on Fitzgerald's writing. As well as his wife Zelda and everyone he encountered throughout his life. His writing resembles his own experiences and what he lived through during the Roaring 20s. His life influenced his stories, maybe his stories influenced someone's life.
being drafted into the military. Though the struggle with his dyslexia and poor spelling, it pushed him to try harder to succeed. HIs stories are about his age. What he noticed and felt during the Roaring 20s. His wife had a great impression on his writing characters. She was a flapper. Always smoking and drinking in public. She loved the attention and fame and so did F. Scott Fitzgerald.
“A Few Words About F. Scott Fitzgerald” - Scott Donaldson, he talks about how much time Fitzgerald wasted. Instead of writing he was partying, getting caught up in the moment of being in the public's eye. Donaldson continues to say that Fitzgerald wanted approval from men and women and that he did not take rejection very well. He was also very distracted by the lifestyle he lived and his wife, Zelda. I agree with this critique to a certain point. I feel he was not distracted. I think that all of the partying he did and all of his fame inspired a lot of his writings. However, I do agree that the characters in his books and stories come from himself and other people he has encountered.
Donaldson states that Fitzgerald was known as “the chronicler of the jazz age, or the artist in spite of himself, or the most prevalent stereotype of all- the writer as a burnt-out case.” He was a very popular person. His wife was very well-known as well. She was always at parties, in dance clubs, and in the public's eye. In the story The Great Gatsby, NIck Carraway’s characteristics match Fitzgerald's in the sense that they couldn't make it as a writer, (Fitzgerald 10). Fitzgerald spent time he could have been writing books and novels, in clubs and at parties with women. “There is an arresting poignancy in the way the two of them- Scott more than Zelda perhaps- considered the alternatives and chose the sweet poison.” Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda were very much alike- they loved attention. That became a never ending problem for the both of them that resulted in Fitzgerald becoming a raging alcoholic and as for Zelda, she was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Even though they had their own problems, they still were infatuated with each other and Fitzgerald moved near every hospital Zelda was issued in.
Even the ones out of the country. Jay Gatsby and Daisy feel the same way that Fitzgerald and zelda feel. They know that odds are against them but they still choose each other. “Oh, you want to much! she cried to Gatsby. I love you now isn't that enough?” (Fitzgerald 264-266). Daisy says this to Gatsby in hope that he will look past the fact that Daisy married another man. Maybe Fitzgerald took this from his own relationship with Zelda. The critique also says that Fitzgerald “was an overweening compulsion to please.” He felt the need to impress or please both men and woman. Fitzgerald did not do to great to great with the men, women swooned over his handsome looks and ability to capture to woman's eye with his stories. All of these women getting thrown at Fitzgerald made it easy for him to have affairs. Which he did often to Zelda. “And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart, I love her all the time.” (Fitzgerald 251-252). This is exactly how Fitzgerald felt towards Zelda, just like Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald always had love for zelda no matter how many affairs he had.
The lifestyle flappers, parties, gangsters, love and tragedy had a huge influence on Fitzgerald's writing. As well as his wife Zelda and everyone he encountered throughout his life. His writing resembles his own experiences and what he lived through during the Roaring 20s. His life influenced his stories, maybe his stories influenced someone's life.