is the great gatsby based on fitzgerald life

How is the Great Gatsby similar to F Scott Fitzgerald's life?

By reading The Great Gatsby one can clearly see F. Scott Fitzgerald reflected in Jay Gatsby in that they both left college, met the love of their life while in the army, and strove to impress the loves they ultimately lost. The first similarity between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and that of Jay Gatsby is how they dropped out of college.

What is the genre of the Great Gatsby?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an unforgettable novel of wealth and love. It chronicles the “Jazz Age,” post World War I in the United States. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925 in New York City. It is considered to be Fitzgerald’s best and most famous novel.

Is the Great Gatsby based on a true story?

The people, events, and attitudes displayed in the book are not just fiction; they’re based off of the real life of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Bruccoli, Matthew J.

Why did Fitzgerald write the Great Gatsby?

While The Great Gatsby was written surely to be a critique and disapproving display of the upper class in America, it is also a deeper revelation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life. Most would not recognize this, but his book is saturated with aspects of his own life.

Does The Great Gatsby represent Fitzgerald's life?

In many ways, The Great Gatsby represents Fitzgerald's attempt to confront his conflicting feelings about the Jazz Age. Like Gatsby, Fitzgerald was driven by his love for a woman who symbolized everything he wanted, even as she led him toward everything he despised.

What are the similarity between Great Gatsby events and Fitzgerald's life?

During World War I, both Jay Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald fell in love with a woman at the locations they were stationed. Gatsby fell in love with Daisy, and Fitzgerald fell in love with a woman named Zelda. Like Gatsby tried to impress Daisy, Fitzgerald did the same with Zelda.

Why did Scott Fitzgerald write The Great Gatsby?

Fitzgerald was inspired to write The Great Gatsby to show the American Dream and its attainability. He lived through the Jazz Age and struggled to gain wealth and success of his own. Fitzgerald depicted his own struggles with love, wealth, and success through the character of Jay Gatsby.

Who was The Great Gatsby modeled after?

Cushman Rice is considered by some to be the man upon whom F. Scott Fitzgerald based "The Great Gatsby." This photo, taken in France in 1918, shows Rice in uniform as a major in the U.S. Air Service. Not much is known about the origin of the character Jay Gatsby, the main character in F.

Who is The Great Gatsby based on?

Is Gatsby a fictional character? Yes and no. While Jay Gatsby didn't exist, the character was based on both Max Gerlach and Fitzgerald himself.

Which character in The Great Gatsby is most like Fitzgerald?

What most readers do not realize is that Jay Gatsby's character mirrors many personality traits and concerns that the author of novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald, had.

What does the green light symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

The green light Nick first sees Gatsby stretching his arms towards a green light at the end of Daisy's dock. Here, the green light is a symbol of hope.

How did Jay Gatsby get rich?

Jay Gatsby however did not earn his money in an honest way. He earned it by bootlegging alcohol, which as we all know was illegal because of the prohibition of alcohol during the time of this book, and he also earned a lot of his money from fake stocks.

Is The Great Gatsby hard to read?

For the most part, Gatsby is straightforward. It's got some funny 1920s turns of phrase, like "ecstatic cahoots" (8.46), but you're not going to run into too many unfamiliar words. Hard? Not exactly.

Who is Daisy based on?

Ginevra KingAs in Ginevra King, the Chicago-bred lost love of Fitzgerald's life and the inspiration for Daisy Buchanan, the lost love of Jay Gatsby's.

Is Daisy Buchanan based on a real person?

Fitzgerald based the character of Daisy Buchanan on Chicago socialite and heiress Ginevra King, whom he met on a visit back home in St. Paul, Minnesota, while enrolled as a student at Princeton University.

Who is Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby based on?

golfer Edith CummingsThe golfer Jordan Baker, a close friend of Gatsby's long-lost love, Daisy Buchanan, is based on golfer Edith Cummings, the first female athlete to appear on the cover of Time magazine and a close friend of Ginevra.

How does Fitzgerald relate Gatsby's dream to the American Dream?

Gatsby's love for Daisy led him to achieve extravagant wealth. In the sense of rising up social rank and obtaining financial success, Gatsby achieved the American Dream. Despite the wealth that Gatsby achieved, Fitzgerald conveys that materialism of the American Dream does not guarantee happiness.

How are Nick and Fitzgerald alike?

Similarities include Gatsby and Fitzgerald 's want for success through continuous failure, dreams of success, strong feelings towards alcohol, and their love life. Nick's qualities that relate to Fitzgerald include his honesty as a man in relation to the liars surrounding him.

How did Fitzgerald's life influence his writing?

F. Scott Fitzgerald presented his life through his writing because life experiences and relationships influenced the characters in The Great Gatsby, and the time period in which he lived in provided a theme for the story.

What does the green light symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

The green light Nick first sees Gatsby stretching his arms towards a green light at the end of Daisy's dock. Here, the green light is a symbol of hope.

Who was Fitzgerald's wife in The Great Gatsby?

Another major aspect of Fitzgerald’s life that was represented in The Great Gatsby is his wife, Zelda. She can easily be compared to Tom Buchanan’s wife, Daisy, as much of the feelings and events shared in their relationship are very similar to those in F. Scott and Zelda’ s relationship. When Francis Scott first met Zelda while writing in New York ...

How long did Gatsby live in East and West Egg?

Gatsby lived there for two years, and though the communities of East and West Egg are technically fictional, they are quite clearly based off of Kings Point and Manhasset Bay. As Mary Jo Murphy of the New York Times states in her recent article “Fitzgerald himself knew it well….

Why does Jay spend his life's work to attaining wealth to win Daisy back?

When Daisy will not be with him because of his lack of wealth and social standing , Jay devotes his life’s work to attaining wealth to win Daisy back. Also Mr. Fitzgerald had a tendency to spend money just as quickly as he earned it; living above his means, and showing off his wealth whenever he could. The same is shown of Gatsby when Nick describes Gatsby’s car, “I’d seen it. Everyone had seen it. It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, nd terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns” (64). He spends luxuriously, buying the most expensive car and only wearing brightly colored expensive suits. This reckless and attention seeking spending of money is one behavior of F. Scott Fitzgerald that is prominent in his character Gatsby. While The Great Gatsby was written surely to be a critique and disapproving display of the upper class in America, it is also a deeper revelation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life. Most would not recognize this, but his book is saturated with aspects of his own life.

What happened to Daisy after Gatsby got his wealth?

Once Gatsby attained his wealth, by any means possible, Daisy was immediately enthralled by his possessions and she was temporarily won away from Tom Buchanan. The epitome if her selfish materialism is displayed when Daisy “bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. ‘They’re such beautiful shirts….

What was Fitzgerald's social status?

Fitzgerald lived in a wealthy, upper class community in which social status was based upon wealth. Fitzgerald was constantly surrounded by social leaches, ever-trying to crawl up the social ladder; people whose sole concern was in partying, not a care for the mysterious Gatsby. We see this when Nick states, “ I believe that on ...

Where did Francis Scott meet Zelda?

When Francis Scott first met Zelda while writing in New York City, still seeking fame and fortune, they could not be wed. “Unwilling to wait while Fitzgerald succeeded in the advertisement business and unwilling to live on his small salary, Zelda Sayre broke their engagement” (Bruccoli).

Is Daisy a figment of Fitzgerald's imagination?

Without having any background into the life of Fitzgerald, the average reader would conclude that the story was no less than a figment of Fitzgerald’s imagination. This is not the case however, as F. Scott funnels many of his thoughts and ideas into the characters in the book. There are quite a few stunning similarities between his character Daisy, ...

What is the Great Gatsby about?

Set on the prosperous Long Island of 1922, The Great Gatsby provides a critical social history of Prohibition-era America during the Jazz Age. Fitzgerald's fictional narrative fully renders that period—known for its jazz music, economic prosperity, flapper culture, libertine mores, rebellious youth, and ubiquitous speakeasies. Fitzgerald uses many of these 1920s societal developments to tell his story, from simple details like petting in automobiles to broader themes such as bootlegging as the source of Gatsby's fortune.

Where is the Great Gatsby set?

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City , the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway 's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan .

How old was Ginevra King in The Great Gatsby?

Like the novel's narrator who went to Yale, he was educated at an Ivy League school, Princeton. There the 19-year-old Fitzgerald met Ginevra King, a 16-year-old socialite with whom he fell deeply in love.

How many times has Gatsby been adapted?

Gatsby has been adapted for the stage multiple times since its publication. The first known stage adaptation was by American dramatist Owen Davis, which subsequently became the 1926 film version. The play, directed by George Cukor, opened on Broadway on February 2, 1926, and had 112 curtain calls. A successful tour later in the year included performances in Chicago, August 1 through October 2. More recently, The New York Metropolitan Opera commissioned John Harbison to compose an operatic treatment of the novel to commemorate the 25th anniversary of James Levine 's debut. The work, called The Great Gatsby, premiered on December 20, 1999. In July 2006, Simon Levy 's stage adaptation, directed by David Esbjornson, premiered at the Guthrie Theater to commemorate the opening of its new theater. In 2010, critic Ben Brantley of The New York Times highly praised the debut of Gatz, an Off-Broadway production by Elevator Repair Service. The novel has been revised for ballet performances. In 2009, BalletMet premiered a version at the Capitol Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. In 2010, The Washington Ballet premiered a version at the Kennedy Center. The show received an encore run the following year.

What does Gatsby hope for in his newfound wealth?

Gatsby hopes that his newfound wealth and dazzling parties will make Daisy reconsider. Gatsby uses Nick to stage a reunion with Daisy, and the two embark upon a sexual affair. In September, Tom discovers the affair when Daisy carelessly addresses Gatsby with unabashed intimacy in front of him.

Why does Nick want Gatsby to flee?

Nick urges Gatsby to flee to avoid prosecution, but he refuses. After Tom tells George that Gatsby owns the car that struck Myrtle, a distraught George assumes the owner of the vehicle must be Myrtle's lover. George fatally shoots Gatsby in his mansion's swimming pool, then commits suicide.

What happened to Nick after Gatsby's death?

After Gatsby's death, Nick comes to hate New York and decides that Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, and he were all Midwesterners unsuited to Eastern life. Nick encounters Tom and initially refuses to shake his hand.

What is the Great Gatsby about?

Scott Fitzgerald’s quintessential novel, and is the novel he is most famous for. It tells the story of a rich man named Jay Gatsby and his quest to regain a past love.

Who illustrated the Great Gatsby?

There are also a number of more conventionally illustrated editions of The Great Gatsby in existence, such as the 1980 Limited Editions Club which is illustrated by artist Fred Meyer, whose recognizable style brings the Jazz Age to life on the page.

Why did Fitzgerald put his novel on hold?

Work on this novel was put on hold throughout the years due to Zelda Fitzgerald’s declining mental and physical health. During her stay in a clinic in Switzerland, F. Scott returned to writing short stories for income.

What is the name of the Roman novel by Fitzgerald?

Before it became The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s novel went through many revisions and forms. Special Collections has in its possession a facsimile of one such early edition, entitled Trimalchio. This is an allusion to a Roman novel, The Satyricon by Petronius. In this novel, Trimalchio is a freedman who has amassed power and wealth ...

When did Fitzgerald start his affair with Sheilah Graham?

He completed Tender is the Night in 1934, though it was ultimately a commercial failure. In the summer of 1937 , Fitzgerald went to Hollywood to work as a screenwriter. It was there that he began an affair with columnist Sheilah Graham.

Where was the novel Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald born?

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota and named after his second cousin three times removed, the Francis Scott Key of national anthem fame.

Was Fitzgerald a successful author?

Though Fitzgerald was not much of a commercial success during his lifetime, he is now considered to be the author of one of the “great American novels” and is esteemed for his accurate portrayals of the Jazz Age. Many of his works, including collections of his short stories, are available for use by patrons in the Reading Room of Special Collections.

What did Scott Fitzgerald do to his peers?

Scott Fitzgerald spent a lifetime eavesdropping on the conversations of his peers, making a study of their character for his future literary characters. Scribbling notes from overheard conversations and inventing dialogue on the fly were part of his writerly process.

What was the line that came from Fitzgerald's life?

Great Gatsby. Line That Came From Fitzgerald's Life—and Inspired a Novel. F. Scott and Zelda's turbulent marriage gave both spouses material to write about, which in turn became writing material for subsequent generations of authors.

How does Beautiful Fools by Scott Fitzgerald differ from other Zelda books?

Beautiful Fools: The Last Affair of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald differs from recent Zelda-themed novels ( Z, Call Me Zelda) by maintaining a tight focus on that Cuba trip, two dimmed stars' last grasp at love and happiness. The author, R. Clifton Spargo, dramatizes the few established historical events (we know, for instance, that Scott was beaten up for trying to stop a cockfight) and fills in the gaps and silences with moments of his own invention. Key to his depiction of the couple's torrid relationship is the literary competitiveness that thrived between them. As he writes in his essay for this series, both Zelda and Scott borrowed heavily from life--and from each other--to make their art, and they both criticized the other's plagiaristic tendencies. But what right do writers have to borrow from real people, and what should stay put in the domain of private life?

Why did the book Beautiful Fools come about?

Beautiful Fools came about because I'd long been fascinated by a missing chapter in the Fitzgeralds' love story--a trip Scott and Zelda took to Cuba in 1939. It's effectively a lost trip, with scant reference to it in the vast Fitzgerald archive, and it was the very last time they saw each other.

What book did Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald write?

As Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald wrote in a rather meta review of her husband's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned (1922), "plagiarism begins at home.". She had recognized her own diaries and scraps of her love letters repackaged in the book, and she was being playful--and pointed. F.

What is the key to Zelda and Scott's relationship?

Key to his depiction of the couple's torrid relationship is the literary competitiveness that thrived between them. As he writes in his essay for this series, both Zelda and Scott borrowed heavily from life--and from each other--to make their art, and they both criticized the other's plagiaristic tendencies.

Who wrote the book "By Heart"?

By Joe Fassler. July 2, 2013. By Heart is a series in which authors share and discuss their all-time favorite passages in literature. Doug McLean. In 1939, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald stirred up one last fiasco--a disastrous and booze-fueled trip to Cuba. They had been separated.

Where did the Fitzgeralds live?

The Fitzgeralds lived in Minnesota on and off during Scott's youth. When his father's business folded in 1897, the elder Fitzgerald took a job the following year as a salesman for Procter and Gamble, consequently moving his family to New York, first to Buffalo, then Syracuse, and then back to Buffalo.

What was the Fitzgeralds' domestic life like?

Despite their celebrated status, the Fitzgeralds' domestic life was plagued with hardships. Throughout their marriage, the two went through periods of heavy alcohol consumption. Although Fitzgerald wrote sober, he drank more and more frequently and excessively. Drinking was also a factor in the Fitzgeralds' frequent fights. In some scholars' opinions, stories of Scott's drinking earned him the reputation for an "irresponsible writer," which kept him from being taken seriously by the literary community. The Fitzgerald's marriage was also plagued by financial difficulties. Although This Side of Paradise did well, the follow-up novel did not meet the same success. In order to maintain their extravagant lifestyle, Scott spent much time working on short stories that ran in widely distributed magazines.

What was the name of the book that Fitzgerald wrote in the 1920s?

The Great Gatsby (1925), the novel for which Fitzgerald has become most well known, met only limited success upon its publication. In the years since, it has gone on to become nearly synonymous with Fitzgerald and life in the Roaring '20s. Fitzgerald worked on his fourth novel, Tender Is the Night ...

When did Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda get married?

During the summer of 1919, Fitzgerald quit the ad business to return to St. Paul to rewrite The Romantic Egotist. In September of the same year noted Scribner's editor Maxwell Perkins accepted This Side of Paradise, as the novel was now called, for publication. One week after its publication, Scott and Zelda were married in New York. The novel meant instant success for the young author and pushed the newlyweds into the limelight. Together, Scott and Zelda became synonymous with life in the 1920s. In many regards, the Fitzgeralds' lifestyle read like something out of one of Scott's novels. Stories of their drinking, dancing, and extravagant lifestyle surround the couple. Over the years, they traveled between the United States and Europe (especially France) extensively, becoming (at least for a while) part of "The Lost Generation" of American expatriates in Paris. In 1921 Zelda gave birth to the couple's only child, a daughter named Frances Scott Fitzgerald (known as Scottie).

What was the significance of the book Zelda and Scott?

The novel meant instant success for the young author and pushed the newlyweds into the limelight. Together, Scott and Zelda became synonymous with life in the 1920s. In many regards, the Fitzgeralds' lifestyle read like something out of one of Scott's novels.

How many books did Fitzgerald write?

Although Scott is known for his novels, his literary talents ran much deeper. Over the course of his career, Fitzgerald wrote four complete novels, while a fifth, partially completed at the time of his death, was published posthumously.

How old was Scott when he fell in love with Zelda?

The 22-year-old Scott met and fell in love with then 18-year-old debutante Zelda Sayre. Zelda, youngest daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court judge, refused marriage, however, until Scott could support her in the manner to which she was accustomed.

Get professional help and free up your time for more important courses

The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald Tying Is Life to the Book. (2017, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-great-gatsby-fitzgerald-tying-is-life-to-the-book/

Cite this page

The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald Tying Is Life to the Book. (2017, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-great-gatsby-fitzgerald-tying-is-life-to-the-book/

What is the Great Gatsby about?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an unforgettable novel of wealth and love. It chronicles the “Jazz Age,” post World War I in the United States.

What are some books similar to The Great Gatsby?

Other books readers might find comparable to The Great Gatsby include The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Fitzgerlad’s 1922 novel, The Beautiful and the Damned . The latter was published right before The Great Gatsby and tells the story of a socialite and heir to a massive fortune.

What is the Jazz Age in The Great Gatsby?

Today, scholars consider The Great Gatsby, as well as Fitzgerald’s other novels, as a means for the writer to confront his feelings about (what he coined as) “The Jazz Age.” The period after World War I is well documented in The Great Gatsby . Fitzgerald was initially interested in the outrageous lifestyles of the wealthy in New York City, engaging in such a lifestyle himself. But, just as Nick Carraway discovered, things weren’t quite as bright and shining as they seemed.

How did Fitzgerald die?

The Fitzgeralds were wealthy, but as debt crept upon them, Fitzgerald’s health worsened, and he suffered from mental illness. He died from a heart attack in 1940, with his wife passing away a few years later.

How many copies of The Great Gatsby have been sold?

Today, the novel has sold over 25 million copies and has been translated into numerous languages. It’s a staple of classrooms all over the world.

What is the story of this side of paradise?

The latter was published right before The Great Gatsby and tells the story of a socialite and heir to a massive fortune. Fitzgerald explores his marriage, military service, and the couple’s troubles. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald is another novel in which readers can find themes comparable to those in The Great Gatsby.

Why did Fitzgerald move to New York?

Fitzgerald, like the novel’s narrator, Nick, was born in Minnesota. He moved to New York to pursue fame and fortune, like Jay Gatsby. Perhaps also seeking inspiration in his personal experiences, Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, refused to marry him unless he could support her.

What is the difference between Fitzgerald and Gatsby?

The difference between Fitzgerald and Gatsby is that Fitzgerald eventually marries Zelda, while Gatsby never gets to make Daisy his wife. Finally, both F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby make great efforts to impress Zelda and Daisy, when in the end they lose them.

Who is the main character in The Great Gatsby?

F. Scott Fitzgerald did this in his book "The Great Gatsby," with the main character Jay Gatsby. By reading The Great Gatsby one can clearly see F. Scott Fitzgerald reflected in Jay Gatsby in that they both left college, ...

How did Fitzgerald and Gatsby impress Zelda?

Both men tried to win their significant others love, by impressing them with a luxurious lifestyle. However their romances were fated to fail. Zelda was unable to defeat her mental illness and Daisy decided to disappear with Tom in the end. Fitzgerald impresses Zelda by writing and publishing his books, becoming a successful, rich author. This proves to Zelda that she can sustain her lifestyle. According to an autobiography on the Fitzgerald’s, “upon his discharge he moved to New York City hoping to launch a career in advertising lucrative enough to convince Zelda to marry him…” (Fitzgerald 5). In this quote the career that he chose did not have a good enough income for Zelda so she originally turned his marriage proposal down. Gatsby throws lavish parties to try to impress Daisy as well. However their love for the women was not just a show. Like Fitzgerald when Zelda suffered her mental illness, Gatsby also stands by Daisy when she accidently murders Myrtle. In the novel it says, “’Was Daisy driving?’ ‘Yes,’ he said after a moment, ’but of course I’ll say I was… I’m just going to wait here and see if he tries to bother her about that unpleasantness this afternoon’” (Fitzgerald, 143-144). This shows the lengths that Gatsby would go for daisy and metaphorically how far Fitzgerald would go for Zelda. Both men tried to impress their loves, but for them fate did not want them to be together. Zelda eventually was overcome by her mental illness and Daisy never left Tom to be with Gatsby.

Why does Gatsby throw lavish parties?

Gatsby throws lavish parties to try to impress Daisy as well. However their love for the women was not just a show. Like Fitzgerald when Zelda suffered her mental illness, Gatsby also stands by Daisy when she accidently murders Myrtle.

What chapter does Fitzgerald use Daisy?

Fitzgerald uses this experience to create Jay Gatsby’s meet with Daisy. In chapter eight it states, “He went to her house, at first with other officers from camp Taylor, then alone… eventually he took Daisy one still October night, took her because he had no right to touch her hand.

How old was Fitzgerald when he fell in love with Zelda?

army, stationed him near Montgomery, Alabama in 1918, where he met and fell in love with an 18-year-old Southern belle - Zelda Sayre…” (Willett 3). However because Fitzgerald did not have a good income, Zelda broke off the engagement.

Why did Fitzgerald leave Princeton?

An online biography of Fitzgerald states, “Because of ill health and low grades, he left the university in 1915…He returned to Princeton in 1916 but left a year later without a degree and joined the U.S. Army…” (Fitzgerald Biography 2). This quote shows how Fitzgerald was not able to graduate from Princeton University despite his efforts.

Overview

Writing and production

Historical and biographical context

Plot summary

Major characters

Critical reception

Critical analysis

Adaptations