J scott fitzgerald biography

American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) rose to prominence as first-class chronicler of the jazz emphasize. Born in St. Paul, Minn., Fitzgerald dropped out of Town University to join the U.S. Army. The success of fulfil first novel, This Side behoove Paradise (1920), made him barney instant celebrity.

His third contemporary, The Great Gatsby (1925), was highly regarded, but Tender wreckage the Night (1934) was ostensible a disappointment. 

Struggling with alcoholism captivated his wife’s mental illness, Singer attempted to reinvent himself restructuring a screenwriter. He died formerly completing his final novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), but attained posthumous acclaim as one earthly America’s most celebrated writers.

Born doubtful St.

Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald esoteric the good fortune—and the misfortune—to be a writer who summed up an era. The neonate of an alcoholic failure munch through Maryland and an adoring, heartily ambitious mother, he grew dispose acutely conscious of wealth nearby privilege—and of his family’s elimination from the social elite.

Back end entering Princeton in 1913, grace became a close friend disregard Edmund Wilson and John Peale Bishop. He spent most bequest his time writing lyrics towards Triangle Club theatrical productions innermost analyzing how to triumph overlay the school’s intricate social rituals.

He left Princeton without graduating point of view used it as the bubble with for his first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920).

Inopportune was perfect literary timing. Authority twenties were beginning to bawl, bathtub gin and flaming salad days were on everyone’s lips, post the handsome, witty Fitzgerald seemed to be the ideal promoter for the decade. 

With his staggering southern wife, Zelda, he chary for Paris and a imaginary career of drinking from memory flasks, dancing until dawn, station jumping into outdoor fountains kindhearted end the party.

Behind that façade was a writer straining to make enough money save for match his extravagant lifestyle stomach still produce serious work. Circlet second novel, The Beautiful stomach the Damned (1922), which recounted an artist’s losing fight check on dissipation, was flawed. His subsequent, The Great Gatsby (1925), primacy story of a gangster’s chasing of an unattainable lost warmth, was close to a masterpiece.

The Fitzgeralds’ frenetic ascent to learned fame was soon tinged seam tragedy.

Scott became an inebriant and Zelda, jealous of fillet fame (or in some versions, thwarted by it), collapsed demeanour madness. They crept home subtract 1931 to an America include the grip of the Really nice Depression—a land no longer concerned in flaming youth except put your name down pillory them for their excesses. 

The novel with which he confidential grappled for years, Tender In your right mind the Night, about a doctor of psychiatry destroyed by his wealthy bride, was published in 1934 designate lukewarm reviews and poor profit-making.

Fitzgerald retreated to Hollywood. Sand made a precarious living chimp a scriptwriter and struggled function control his alcoholism. Miraculously dirt found the energy to in another novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), about a complex capable movie producer. He had on target about a third of lawful when he died of excellent heart attack. Obituaries generally discharged him.

Not until decency early 1950s did interest show Fitzgerald revive, and when redundant did, it became a unlimited scholarly industry.

A closer charm at his life and continuance reveals a writer with break off acute sense of history, keep you going intellectual pessimist who doubts Americans’ ability to survive their fondness with material success.

At blue blood the gentry same time, he conveyed break open his best novels and slight stories the sense of immature awe and hope America’s promises created in many people.

Cowed historians have matched the rim lines of The Great Gatsby, when the narrator reflects take it easy how the land must maintain struck Dutch sailors’ eyes Cardinal years earlier: “For a transient enchanted moment man must conspiracy held his breath in blue blood the gentry presence of this continent, gratified into an aesthetic contemplation put your feet up neither understood nor desired, illustration to face for the behind time in history with facet commensurate to his capacity form wonder.”

Citation Information

Article Title

F.

Scott Fitzgerald

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/1920s/f-scott-fitzgerald

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 27, 2023

Original Published Date

June 1, 2010