THE GREAT GATSBYF. Scott Fitzgerald

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD 1896-1940 (AGE 44 AT TIME OF DEATH)

Raised in the mid-west (like the main character)

Father came from money, but lost it due to poor investing

mother came from high society Fitzgerald always looking to make money,

climb the social ladder. Mediocre student, went to NJ boarding

school, then Princeton University, was bored in school--never graduated.

Joined the army, looking for adventure just as WWI was ending.

MARRIAGE AND EARLY CAREER While stationed in Alabama, met a wild

17 year old, Southern debutante named Zelda Sayre. She originally broke off their engagement b/c he was “not the type of man she ever thought of marrying”

Zelda is the prototype of “Daisy Buchanan” in Great Gatsby

He wrote his first novel, Tender is the Night, made a huge amount of $ from its success and becomes a writing “star”

Zelda agrees to marry Fitzgerald

Zelda desired wealth, fun, and a life of excess and leisure—she pushed Fitzgerald to “make it big” financially, artistically, and socially.

THE LIFE OF ZELDA AND FITZGERALD They lived a

cosmopolitan life as a celebrity/literary couple, hanging out with Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot and other famous artists in writers.

Most of these writers lived in both NYC and Paris; were super-stars; they lived lives of excess, conspicuous consumption

It was in Paris during this time he wrote The Great Gatsby. This era became known as The Roaring 20s.

They partied, traveled, drank excessively, spent tons of money, and generally enjoyed the financial and literary boom of the time (similar to our recent boom and then bust)

EXCESS LEADS TO TROUBLE

By the 1930s, Zelda had a nervous breakdown, was institutionalized; Fitzgerald suffered from alcoholism and poor health due to his previous lifestyle. Money became very tight during the Depression.

He tried to make it in Hollywood as a screen writer, but died of a heart attack in 1940 believing he was a total failure.

Other novels: This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and the Damned, The Great Gatsby, Many short stories and essays, and one unfinished screen novel, The Last Tycoon

THE SETTING OF GATSBY

The setting of the novel is Long Island, NY outside of NYC. It is 1922, the height of The Roaring 20s, also known as The Jazz Age.

Fitzgerald coined the phrase, "the Jazz Age" to describe the flamboyant—"anything goes"—era that emerged in America after World War I.

Also during Prohibition (1920-1933)—became very unpopular in major cities, led to the proliferation of organized crime.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROARING 20’S WWI ended in 1917,

many people were disillusioned, jaded, changed by what they saw, experienced b/c of the world war

Huge economic boom began due to rise in Stock Market, Railroad expansion, purchase of land and real estate, production of coal/oil. Businessmen became millionaires rapidly.

Prohibition: Alcohol became illegal to produce or consume. Organized crime began making and distributing alcohol and drugs; they built/ran casinos, clubs called Speakeasys.

Jazz was born: An off-shoot of African American blues, it exploded in Chicago, NYC, New Orleans—created a boom in entertainment, film, radio, theater, and clubs.

ROARING 20’S CONT’D Mass Consumerism:

people began buying cars, radios, phonographs, clothes, houses, jewelry, appliances.

Fashion: women began to express more openly. Hem lines shortened, blouse lines dropped, women began to “bob” their hair, wear make-up, fancy hats, excessive jewelry and accessories.

Razors were invented for men and women. Condoms were mass marketed, changing sexual behavior.

Women gained the right to vote in 1920 19th Amendment. Women’s movement began in full force. Women wanted to be more independent, wear pants, go to college, etc.

THE OPULENCE OF THE 1920’S

Youthful "Flapper" women provoked the scorn of older people with brief skirts, bobbed hair, and cavalier use of makeup and cigarettes.

Crazes included such dances as the Charleston, and dance marathons.

YOUTH CULTURE

Young people began to model themselves on movie and sports stars who represented a glamorous new age.

they also took on many of the negative traits of their idols like smoking, bad language, immorality, and selfishness. And so the new youth culture manifested itself as the flapper and sheik.

THE FLAPPER

One Connecticut damsel gives the following recipe for the flapper:—"Take two bare knees, two rolled stockings, two flapping goloshes, one short skirt, one lipstick, one powder puff, 33 cigarettes, and a boy friend with flask. Season with a pinch of salt and dash of pep, and cover all with some spicy sauce, and you have the old-time flapper."

IMPORTANT THEMES AND CONCEPTS IN THE NOVEL Old money or old ways

(the establishment) vs. New Money or new ways (Neuve’ Riche)

East Coast ideas and ways vs. Mid-west ideas and ways and

Dreams vs. Reality The Haves vs. the

Have-Nots

The Disillusionment of Wealth and Power—money and power are not what they seem—they can bring corruption, unhappiness

What is the American Dream, really?

EAST/WEST EGG

West Egg represents Great Neck

New Money

Large, new homes during the 1920’s

Nick’s rented bungalow is squeezed between two monstrosities

• East Egg represents Manhasset Neck/Cow Neck

• Refined old money

• Social clout

• NY’s wealthiest established families

• The green light shines from here

MAP OF THE TWO ISLANDS

Can see across the bay

“courtesy” bay

Acts as a natural barrier

In chapter I, Nick mentions the drive back to W. Egg

THE VALLEY OF ASHES

Between East & West Egg Ashes from factories dumped there Gloomy, depressing, bad place Not the best place to live Mr.& Mrs. Wilson live there (Myrtle & George) Myrtle- regrets her marriage to George,

moving up social ladder= change in personality, materialistic

George- mechanic, taken advantage of by Myrtle, looked down upon by Tom B.

Daisy vs. Myrtle- different experiences growing up, total opposites, different values