Scott Fitzgerald Paper

Francis Scott Fitzgerald is an enduring American author of the 19th century; he was incredibly influenced by many aspects and significant periods of his life. Fitzgerald’s literary masterpieces included The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. Fitzgerald had a few dominant influences that clearly inspired majority of his works, his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, his lavish expenses and his Princeton education. Fitzgerald uses simile and imagery in his novels to introduce characters and settings that were inspired by his reality through his words. A critical review by Charles Scribner clarified that many of Fitzgerald’s work are “critique’s of the American dream and the outmoded values of traditional America” (Fitter).
Fitzgerald was born September 24, 1896 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Coming from a religious background he attended the Newman School, a Catholic preparatory school in New Jersey (Turnbull 7). Much of his youth was focused on writing although his studies were his least concern. He attended Princeton University in 1914 (Turnbull 81). Mid-October of 1917, Fitzgerald sent a final copy of his first book The Romantic Egotist to Scribners, the book was influenced by his future wife Zelda and the relationship they shared (Turnbull 89). The novel was published and sold thousands of copies. Scott Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald at a country club dance in July 1918, a few weeks before her eighteenth birthday (Turnbull 87). The couple married in 1920, the two lived in different areas such as Westport, Connecticut and Great Neck, Long Island. Fitzgerald earned a reputation and became a key symbol of the Jazz Age, releasing his novels during a roaring time period (Turnbull 209). Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925, receiving the most favorable reviews amongst all other of his novels (Turnbull 149). Dealing with alcoholism, Fitzgerald’s dream in the 1930’s began to fade (Turnbull 315). On the verge of emotional bankruptcy, Fitzgerald published Tender